Surrounded but Alone
by Kira The Forgotten
Summary: Being Rewritten
1. Prologue

Summary:

What is a ninja to do? Excluded from everyone and turned down by most. There is nothing left to work for. Except a dream. That is what keeps Bakenokawa* Anuri* going. Her dream to just live through another day, keeps her from losing what she has. But it's about to get a whole lot bigger. Growing sick of being alone all the time she strives to change that, only to find that she must fight back at those keeping her in solitude. But why? And why is Sasuke Uchiha suddenly becoming the only person who might understand? SasukeOC

Prologue: The Bakenokawa Clan

Kakashi Hatake observed his new pupil carefully.

She was to be tutored alone, away from the rest of the other ninja. Even though she had gone to school with them, grown up with them, it was the order of the sixth Hokage Tsunade that she was to be taught alone. Bakenokawa Anuri. Abandoned by her traitorous family, left alone by the village, and left alone by her sisters. The last thing she needed was to be alone in training too.

Anuri stopped training and rested her hands on her knees breathing heavily. Manipulating her chakra was getting harder and harder as she went. Not easier as Kakashi-sensei said it would. It was fighting her back, exactly what she needed. Chakra with a mind of it's own. Anuri calmed her breathing and grasped the kunai again. The point of the exercise was to use her chakra to cover the blade, making it dull so she couldn't cut her skin on it.

"All about control Anuri, come on focus!" Anuri scolded herself and summoned up her chakra again. Unknown to her Kakashi's visible eye widened as black and crimson chakra surrounded his pupil. Expanding and thrashing about wildly. Solid and very flexible it grew in size as Anuri's concentration increased, trying to grasp control over it. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face, and she held the chakra there for at least a half an hour before it dissipated and Anuri cried out in despair.

Anuri fell back dropping her kunai and lay in the grass cooling off. Orange hair splayed out around her head like a halo of flames. Everything about her looked worn and second hand. Clothes, ninja weapons, even her head band looked as though it had seen more fighting then the owner. One electric blue eye and one forest green looked up at the sky wistfully, following the eagles in the sky closely.

"You're not training." Kakashi said coming into view of the thirteen year old. "But you are fre to go for the day."

She grinned exposing inhuman fangs, "Yeah I know. It's like my chakra has a mind of its own and it doesn't want to listen to me." Anuri jumped to her feet, "Okay Kakashi-sensei, enough with the testing my skills jazz. What am I good at and where do I need to work harder?" She put her hands on her hips cocking her head to the side.

"Hmm, you want to know what your skill levels are? Okay then." Kakashi opened his Icha Icha Paradise book and started listing off her stats. "Ninjutsu tolerable, you keep using fire based ninjutsu when that is obviously your weakest. Taijutsu acceptable, fast on your feet. Weapon use, obvious favor of a sword and highly skilled with it. But well trained with other weapons. Strategy is something to be questioned, and genjutsu simply miserable." Anuri visibly slumped in disappointment. "Ingenuity and will to endurance, better then the average ninja of your age group. You have a long way to go Bakenokaka." Nauri nodded reaching toward the sky stretching.

"Hai sensei. I promise not to let you down." Anuri started for the lake some miles behind her.

Kakashi stopped her also turning the other way, "Oh and your stalking and hiding skills, very good. Blending in is one of the most important ninja skills. Even Lady Tsunade would have to work at finding you." Anuri beamed at him and took off running grinning from ear to ear. Kakashi vanished from sight and reappeared before the Hokage and the other senseis.

"Kakashi Hatake reporting in." Tsunade nodded for him to continue. "Anuri's training is going a little slow. But she doesn't stop." Kakashi continued to list off her strengths and weaknesses and fighting style. Tsunade nodded as he finished.

"Is that all?" Tsunade asked lacing her fingers in front of her.

"No. Anuri's chakra. It forms physically around her whenever she summons it. She does not seam aware of it and cannot control it." Kakashi said remembering what he had seen. "It's flexible and grows in size rapidly until it swarms around her. She has even shown that she can become nearly one with the dark. Even snuck up on me without my being aware of it until she was within a foot of my back."

"Tsunade, I don't get it. Why would you have this girl be trained alone? She is obviously well talented." Might Gai asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Tsunade sighed and leaned back, "Of course you wouldn't know. The case was top secret. The Bakenokawa clan, the entire clan turned against the village. They manipulated metals and chakra mostly, and they were an angry clan. Some part of them thought that the village was against them and only kept them close because they were a threat. Which they became when they betrayed us. It was all finished in the same night it started though. The Anbu Black Ops were forced to kill all of them. Except for four children that had hidden, instead of fighting with the others." Tsunade met Gai's shocked face, "Yes even the children started to fight too when they saw their parents fighting. Anuri, her sisters Karamaiu* and Teinouji*, and her brother Ibushi*, were spared for this. Her father Uragiru* escaped the fighting and fled the village. This was ten years ago exactly. The siblings were put under anbu watch to seeif they would turn traitorous like their clan. Since then Karamaiu and Teinoji have fled the village, presumably to join their father and Ibushi has gone MIA. His jacket returned to Anuri when she was six."

"But what about Anuri?" Sarutobi Asuma asked lighting a cigarette.

"Alone. That's all. Small rumors about the clan's sudden disappearance made the villagers wary of her and they ignored her. Anuri never lets go of that jacket and doesn't say much in the presence of the villagers. Keeping her cut off has been the best thing. Shortly after getting her brother's jacket she dissolved into herself and in class one day, she lost control. Being around other people made her violent for no reason. By the time she was ten it had calmed to a manageable level and the anbu didn't have to watch her at school." Tsunade poured herself a drink. "Right now, putting her in a squad might set her off again. After begin alone all of those years. It could have the reverse affect we want."

Anuri wandered into Ichiraku ramen to find team seven yelling at each other, sort of.

"Hey, what's going on?" Anuri asked, voice softening in the presence of the villagers in the shop. Sasuke looked up recognizing Anuri's voice. More often then not they would train with each other if they ran into the other in the training grounds.

"Anuri." Sasuke greeted nodding his head, "Nothing." Naruto rubbed the growing bump on his head and stopped yelling at Sasuke, which made Sakura in turn stop yelling at Naruto.

"You know each other?" Naruto looked from Anuri to Sasuke confused, "Are you guys dating or something?"

"No. I've trained with Sasuke before." Anrui said, "I graduated with you all. I was in your class with Iruka-sensei."

"I don't remember you." Sakura mumbled staring at Anuri, "Oh wait a second! You sat in the very back corner! Where it was kind of dark." Anuri nodded smiling, the pink hared ninja caught the detail so many other people missed. She sat in the dark corner so she would be looked over.

The owner of the ramen shop Teuchi came over smiling with bowls of ramen in each hand. "Anuri! You're early!" Anrui smiled at the old man.

"I got hungry Teuchi-san." Anuri said, her mouth watering slightly. The smell of the ramen was insanely good.

"Alright, I'll get you a bowl on the house then. When you're done you can start your shift!" Teuchi added, "Don't think I forgot about your lateness yesterday." Anuri smiled and nodded.

"You work here Anuri!" Naruto asked sliding over in the booth to make room for her. She hesitated a second before taking the seat next to Naruto. "I think you're shyer then Hinata!" Anuri didn't say anything in response. This being with other people thing was hard.

A few months later after her shift Anuri started home, well after midnight. All of the ninja getting off duty came into Ichiraku and the occasional non sleeper. Anuri pushed her hands deep into her pockets and hunched her shoulders against the cold wind.

_'This is wrong somehow. It shouldn't have gotten this cold so fast. Not in Konoha.'_ Anuri forced her self not to speed up and keep her breathing even. She raised her awareness to its fullest and tried to find the source of her unease. Nothing.

"Bakenokawa Anuri." Anuri whirled around, short dagger slapping into her palm from her sleeve. She eyed the men in front of her carefully. She almost didn't feel them coming. "It's bad for girls to be wandering around in the dark, alone." The voice was scratchy, almost like the owner had breathing problems.

"And you are?" Anuri ignored the jibe, these men were dangerous.

The man chuckled, "Smart one. My name is Hoshigaki Kisame, my partner and I are here to talk to you." Anuri narrowed her eyes, only one name. And still no face to match. "You are a very hard person to find."

"What do you want to talk about?" Anuri refused to let herself be distracted.

"A partnership." Anuri lowered her blade slightly, turning her head to the side in silent question. "We know where Bakenokawa Teinouji, has been seen recently."

Anuri's blade almost fell to the ground as her arm dropped in shock, "Teinouji-onee-san?" Kisame nodded.

"Hai. Your skills are valuable to our organization. In return for your skills and partnership, our boss is willing to share the information on your sister's whereabouts. " Kisame held a hand out to Anuri, "If you agree, we will take you to our boss. Further arrangements will be made in person." Anuri frowned, and swatted away his hand as she sheathed her blade.

"Give me five days to think about it." Kisame nodded and he and his silent partner disappeared. As their presence left so did the cold.

Anuri turned away and headed home, faster now to think about what Kisame had offered. Her sister, maybe she knew where her other siblings were. Maybe they thought she had moved or was trying to protect her from something. A good reason as to why they never made contact with her nor Ibushi that she knew of.

Reaching her home Anuri pushed back the animals at the gates and into her home. To tired to think on the subject further she fell asleep on the couch, unable to get to her room. Two days later Anuri visited Naruto in the hospital. The hyperactive ninja was covered from head to toe in bandages.

"Naruto, what happened?" The blond was crazy but fun to be around. Something kept her from being to withdrawn around him. Anuri waved a hand cautiously in front of his face.

"Anuri?" Anuri nodded, what was up with him. "How close where you to Sasuke?"

Anuri's face flushed slightly, "We are close very close friends. Or I like to think so, we talk a lot; about each other's pasts and lives and such. Is something wrong?" Naruto's sad eyes were starting to scare her inside.

"Anuri, Sasuke's abandoned the village. He's gone to Orochimaru." Anuri frowned. Sasuke's mentioned that name before, only briefly and not often.

"Abandoned the village? When!" Anuri's hands curled into fists at her sides. Why didn't he say anything?

"Two nights ago. I've only just come back from the rescue mission." Naurto mumbled looking down. "We failed."

"Tell me everything you know about this Orochimaru character." Anuri demanded, first her father, then her sisters, and now Sasuke? This was all wrong. It's like the world was trying to keep her in solitude. So Naruto told her everything he knew. From what had happened during the chunnin exams to what Jiraya had told him. Every detail he had learned from Tsunade herself as well.

"He's not going to come back is he?" Anuri asked softly staring out of the window, into the setting sun. Naruto shook his head, "It's okay then Naruto. I heard that you promised Sakura to bring someone back, but I didn't know who. But I can I assume it was Sasuke now. I don't want you to make a promise like that to me Naruto. Sasuke has obviously made his choice, to leave. And I'm going to respect that." Anuri started for the door. "Don't worry about it Naruto. He'll come back when he's ready, and not a moment before if didn't know him better."

Anuri closed the hospital door behind her, "Sasuke's made his choice, and I've made mine." Anuri stopped walking, halfway to her house. "Kisame." Kisame and his partner appeared behind her silently.

"You've made your choice early."

Anuri barely looked at him, "Take me to your leader." _'Wow, never thought I would say that line.'_ Anuri thought dryly as Kisame held his hand out.

"Let's go now then." Anuri slowly took his hand and felt leaves whirl around them like in a fast whirlwind. When it cleared, they were in a cave. A long maze of hallways that a had joined together. As Kisame let his partner lead them in to the maze of hallways Anuri noticed more people dressed like them. Long black cloaks with red clouds on them, some wore the wide brimmed hats that kept their faces from view, others did not.

"In here." Anuri focused on the cold voice of Kisame's unnamed partner as he held a door open for her. She stepped into the room, feeling like a small child in a room full of grown-ups.

"Bakenokawa Anuri I presume? My name is Pain, can I assume you want to become this organizations partner?" Anuri nodded, watching Pain closely. "Good. May I welcome you to the Akatsuki."

"What do I need to do to know about my sister?" Anuri asked crossing her arms, _'I can't show fear or discomfort. Too much is riding on this deal.'_ Anuri chided herself.

"That will be given in time young Bakenokawa." Pain smirked, the orange hair and spinning eyes made Anuri feel a little dizzy, "When we need you Itachi will come to inform you in exchange for the information you seek."

Anuri swallowed turning her head to face the silent man beside her. Itachi Uchiha, destroyer of the Uchiha clan. "Itachi?" He removed his hat and it took all of Anuri's self control not to take a step back seeing the striking resemblance between Sasuke and his older brother.

"I think we will have a colorful partnership Bakenokawa."

Bakenokawa* - masking one's true character

Anuri* - Silent tears

Karamaiu* - to become intertwined

Teinouji* - feeble-minded child

Ibushi* - oxidation of metal

Uragiru* - to become a traitor

**This is a filler ish story, I'll work on this when my other story has put me on hiatus. So yeah review ifin you want to or not, I won't pester you about it. **


	2. Chapter 1: Alone? No I Have Roomies

Chapter 1: Alone? No I Have Roomies

"Being a ninja doesn't pay enough around here." Anuri said absentmindedly walking through the market trying to find food she could actually afford. "Hmm, I could mooch off of Naruto-kun, no wait I did that two days ago. How about Kakashi-sensei? No he'd turn around and leave me with the check. Rawr." Anuri muttered lacing her fingers behind her head.

Now twenty one Anuri looked back on her teenager days and decided she had changed for the better. After meeting Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto at Ichiraku, she started to run into them more. She talked to people and slowly came out of a shell she hadn't realized she had. She still lived alone in the abandoned outskirts of Konoha because she preferred the space. Though it was quiet, sometimes to quiet and when lighting cracked over head, and she was alone. It scared her, reminding her of the day she really became alone.

Anbu had shown up at her house. Soaked from the rain, and her brother's jacket in hand. It was covered in dirt and blood. They told her he had gone MIA and they hadn't found him yet. Anuri looked at them scared, she was stuck out here in a big house alone. Her sisters had run away a long time ago and she had wondered if she should have gone with them. Lighting had cracked repeatedly until that was the biggest feature of her memory.

Anuri sighed, losing her appetite and started walking home. She cut through the training grounds half looking for Naruto. Reaching the run down Bakenokawa complex she grimaced a little seeing the paint chipping from her clan's seal. A red flame with a pair of black swords crossed over it. She stopped and stared at it for awhile thoughts numbing slightly. The very seal was tattooed on the back of her neck, hard to find if you weren't looking for it. A solid reminder to what she once had, to the family that once thrived in the complex and supported each other, because that was all they had, each other. She bit her lip wondering if she should repaint it, but decided against it. The seal didn't make the village proud anymore if it ever did. It didn't make her feel proud any either. She pushed the gates open and let the Anbu following her think she didn't notice them.

_'Why is Lady Tsunade having them follow me again? What did I do this time?'_ Anuri stopped thinking out loud incase they had gotten close to the house. One could say that nothing lived at the Bakenokawa complex anymore, but they were wrong. Anuri didn't bother trying to keep up with it. Too many homes and things to do to keep up with it. The one thing she did keep up with though was the training ground, built under the complex. Because she spent most her time there, training and exhausting herself so nightmares wouldn't plague her sleep. And the animals that lived here as well. They followed Anuri home, and simply stayed. She didn't mind though, they kept her company and fed themselves. Some of them even doubled as ninja animals by choice of course.

She slipped open the door and stepped aside as a pair of wolf cubs wrestled their way out. She left the door ajar incase they decided to come back in. Anuri shrugged off her jacket and hug it carefully up behind her door and flopped down on her bed. Everything was silent and it was almost painfully so. She could remember when it was never quiet in the complex. Something was always going on. Always.

Anuri yawned lazily and dozed off. Her sleep was restless, filled with the images of memories once forgotten. Animals, mostly the wild dogs and wolves wandered into her house and stood by, loitering in the space. They could hear the fitful moans, sounds full of a sadness they didn't understand. All of them jumped to attention at once when a blond ninja burst into the house.

"ANURI-CHAN!" Naruto screeched at the top of his lungs. Kakashi and Sakura followed him into the house looking around confused.

"Are you sure this is the right place Naruto? I mean it doesn't look like anyone has lived here for years. And there are wild animal everywhere." Sakura asked backing away from the wolves that had gotten to their feet and had started growling in warning at the uninvited intruders.

"Yeah Sakura, of course I'm sure." Naruto put his hand down for the wolves to smell.

Cautiously Sakura and Kakashi followed his lead, "I don't think it's safe for so many animals to be living in one space. So where's Anuri?" Kakashi asked, as the growling stopped, they could hear the soft moaning from up stairs.

"Maybe we should come back lat- NARUTO!" Sakura cried as she watched the orange ninja bound halfway up the stairs. She followed him, as Naruto lead them down the hall and into the very last room at the end. Inside Naruto disappeared. "Where did he?"

"Anuri-chan!" Oi! Wake up!" Kakashi and Sakura looked up to see Naruto yelling at the sleeping Anuri. She tossed about some more before her eyes snapped open and she rolled out of bed.

"Ow, Naruto-kun?" Anuri rubbed her head and blinked a few times. "What time is it?"

"Umm, five o'clock." Naruto said helping her up. Anuri yawned and stretched lazily.

"Why did you wake me up so early?" Anuri looked down and waved to Sakura and Kakashi watching the seen silently. "Wow, there are people in my house. That's a first." Anuri jumped down and landed silently in front of them, Naruto followed but not nearly as quietly. "Sorry about the mess. If I knew people were coming I would have cleared the floors a bit."

"Anuri, we have a mission." Kakashi said patting her head, "Get ready, we gotta go to the Hokage." Anuri blinked and checked herself in the mirror.

"I'm fine," Anuri pulled her hair back into a small ponytail and grabbed her jacket. "Let's go then." She led them to her front door where after struggling to pull on her shoes, Anuri shooed most of the animals out of the house. "Oh, go back to you own houses." Anuri fussed dragging one of the wolves out by its middle.

"I've never been to your house before Anuri." Sakura said looking around. "I remember stories that this complex was haunted." Anuri smiled, and rubbed the back of her head.

"Because this place is so far out of Konoha itself, kids would come here and mess around thinking they wouldn't get in trouble. So I spread the rumors, and it worked. They stopped coming." Anuri hopped over a stray tail in her path. "That and the animals keep unwanted visitors out."

"How do they know who to keep out?"

Naruto grinned this time, "I know that one! They know my sent. Anuri brought me and Sasuke here to introduce us to the animals and they memorized our sent. She taught them who her friends are." Naruto explained, "I was wondering where they where, when there were only puppies outside. They were in her house. And the reason they didn't attack was because I came in first, so they saw me first."

"They probably heard you before they saw you." Sakura muttered, "But how did you get so many animals? I've never seen this many in one place before. Not even the kennels have this many animals." Sakura froze, "Is that a tiger!" The large cat followed the group out of the gate and into the forest.

"Gumbo!" Anuri called to the tiger smiling. "Yeah, that's Gumbo. He went hunting a few days ago. I was starting to wonder if he was okay or not." Sakura and Kakashi looked at her like she was crazy. "Most of the animals are wild. They come and go as they please, and feed themselves. I'm just glad that they don't do their business inside the property. They're like roomies."

"Nice room mates Anuri-chan." Naruto pushed open the gate they had closed behind them and lead them into the forest of Konoha, close to the training grounds. "I forgot your property ended all the way out here, so many people tend to use it as an extension of the training grounds."

Anuri shrugged, "It doesn't matter. I don't use it much anyway." The rest of the walk was filled by small talk, and Anuri got quieter as they entered the crowded streets. It took the group at least ten minutes to find the Hokage's building. They entered the office to find the Hokage steaming.

"I sent for you guys thirty minutes ago!" Tsunade barked irritated.

"That was my fault Lady Tsunade. We tried searching for her in the village instead of at her house." Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head. "I should have listened to Naruto." He froze. "I never thought I'd ever say that."

"Fine then," Tsunade picked up a folder. "This is the last Retrieve Uchiha Sasuke mission before he is officially being posted as a rouge ninja. Kakashi is the leader of the squad. Anuri, you're second in command because you're the next jounin ranked ninja. The last reports of Uchiha were in the Lighting country. You leave tomorrow at dawn, or earlier if you're ready before dark." Tsunade barked.

"This is it! We'll get him back this time! We have Anuri on our side now!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Nothing is going to stand in our way!"

"And after, I mean if Sasuke gets away. If we run into him again and he's considered a rouge. What do we do?" Sakura asked, voice sad and quiet.

Tsunade looked at her sadly, "He's ranked as an S-Rank criminal right now Sakura. He'll have to be terminated." Sakura nodded looking down.

"NANI!" Naruto slammed his hands down on Tsunade's desk. Kakashi grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him back.

"It's standard procedure Naruto, calm down already." Kakashi said, his own voice betraying him with a hint of sadness. "Come on let's try to get a early start." The group turned to leave and Anuri turned back as she was about to leave.

"Lady Hokage, is there a special reason why you've assigned me a group mission? An important one at that." Anuri asked, this was her first ever mission with another person. All of hers had been solo and mostly spying or stealing things the Hokage wanted back.

"Anuri, come back in here and close the door. There is a second part of this mission. "Anuri nodded as Tsunade handed her a small booklet. "I know Naruto will refuse to leave the field until he's dragged back here by something. Like a serious injury of a teammate. If this happens before you bring Sasuke back, you are to track him down your self." Tsunade gave her stern look. "Record his movements and his jutsus. Follow him until you fill the notebook." Anuri opened her mouth to ask 'Is that all' but Tsunade waved at her to keep her quiet. "And if you can, if you the chance, kill off some of Orochimaru's followers, and maybe some of his experiments."

"Hai Lady Tsunade. Umm, what did I do?" Anuri asked, avoiding Tsunade's gaze. "Why do I have Anbu following me around?"

"It's nothing." Tsunade said waving her off, "Now you have your orders. Go."

"Hai Lady Tsunade." Anuri hurried out of the office, _'Is she trying to keep me away?' _

"Anuri-chan! Come on!" Anuri hid the book from Naruto and turned around to face him. She couldn't tell him what her mission really was. He would be crushed, maybe he would stop talking to her. He was the only one who really talked to her. No she wouldn't tell him.

"Hey Naruto, your house is closer then mine, I'll stop at yours on the way back. It would be dark by the time we head to my house and back." Anuri said, Sakura was already running through her front door. Naruto nodded.

"Okay Anuri-chan, meet you at the front gate instead, so we can hit the road!" Naruto waved and headed down a side ally, to excited to slow down enough to avoid a pole.

Anuri waited until he was out of site before slipping into a shadow. On instinct she smothered her chakra as she used it to teleport to her room. There she started tripping over the animals that decided to lounge around in the middle of the floor. By the time she had gotten to her room she had managed to grab a small bag that looked like it had been repaired too many times, sharpening stones, a can of Slim Jims. bandages, a roll of tape and extra kunies. Anuri changed her clothes quickly, slipping into an all black outfit. Tank top under a fishnet, and a oversized tee over that. Finger less gloves and a steel arm guard on her left arm. Anuri pulled her belt to the very last notch trying to get her pants to stay up. Her brother's old pants rode low on her hips and Anuri grimaced a little. "Gomen Ibushi-kun." She muttered and pulled on the leather jacket, she went know were without it. Her head band was mounted on the arm, similar to Shikamaru's just not tied.

Quickly Anuri grabbed a small sealing scroll and after throwing two changes of clothes in her pack, sealed her pack in the scroll. Anuri found four shuriken, and she found her father's old jounin vest, now hers by right. The shoulders were much broader then her own, and stood out even more because of the metal shoulder pads. She put the scroll and her notebook in the vest and jumped over the stairs. Shoving the couch away Anuri flipped open the trap doors and grabbed two of her favorite swords. Carefully strapping them into the custom made latches on the back of her vest she left the house tying her hair up on a small tight pony tail.

She kissed Gumbo's head good bye and literally melted into a shadow, racing the main gate.

Kakashi put a hand up in greeting as Sakura and Naruto came into view. "Hullo. Where's Anuri?"

"She's getting her things. Said it would be faster if we split up." Naruto said looking around. "No idea how long it will take her though."

Kakashi nodded, and turned serious. "Guys, don't bring up anything she does about money. I've seen her nick purses from people as we go through down. Always thieves them selves, but you can tell can't you? She's almost literally broke. The property's falling apart because she doesn't have time or the money to keep up with every task." Kakashi spoke low as though telling a big secret. "Everything she has come from somewhere in that complex. Having belonged to others before her, almost nothing fits her. She work's at Ichiraku on top of being a ninja so she might have some food and the occasional necessity. Anuri doesn't like being looked down on by other people so she doesn't, no refuses to ask for help in that area."

"Why are you telling us this sensei?" Sakura asked confused. It was Anuri's private business after all.

"So you know why she does some of the things she does." Kakashi answered. He shut up like a clam, leaving Sakura silent and thoughtful and Naruto bouncing up and down in anticipation.

Anuri bolted through the trees, trying to shove her foot into her shoe and jump from tree to tree at the same. She hit the ground rather hard, but bolted up right getting her shoe on right. "I'm here." Anuri gasped rubbing the back of her head, "Sorry."

Naruto helped her to her feet, "For what? We've only been waiting a few minutes." Naruto grinned and noticed she didn't have a pack. "Heeeeeey, where's your stuff?"

"It's put away." Anuri said secretively. "Don't worry about it Naruto-kun." Anuri tried to follow Naruto and Sakura out of the gate, when the ninja's on duty caught her arm and dragged her back in.

"Bakenokawa, you know you're not allowed to leave the village." The guard snapped. Anuri blushed lightly, embarrassed because now Naruto, and Sakura knew she was under village house arrest.

"Lady Hokage gave me a mission, I have to leave the village." Anuri said trying to pull away from the ninja. "Really, I have to start going now." Kakashi appeared next to Anuri and took the guards hand off of her arm.

"She's telling the truth you know. She's been assigned to a mission under me." Kakashi said, "I know it's weird, but she's part of the group mission." He lead Anuri back to the group as Anbu showed up next to the guard and watched the team leave the village carefully.

"Okay then, since we are all on a team now, I feel I should tell you all that I have trained all three of you at the same time. " Kakashi admitted. "Anuri had private training with me, while you guys were put in a group." Naurto's eyes bugged out of his head.

"Hey! How come Anuri-chan got special one-on-one training!" Naruto demanded puffing out his cheeks in a pout. Anuri poked one of his cheeks, making hi release the air smiling a little at his antics.

"I started training only when Lady Tsunade became Hokage Naruto-chan." Anuri crossed her arms looking thoughtful. "There weren't enough students to make another full squad so I was sort of cut loose you could say. I trained on my own or with Uchiha." She got quiet and her eyes glazed over, losing herself to her memories.

_"Anuri, your bad at fire style. Why do you insist on only using it?" Sasuke asked Anuri watching her attempt to perform the fireball jutsu the way she wanted it to. She turned to him and smiled, Sasuke vaguely wondered why she had fangs, she was too kind to need them._

_"I like fire style jutsu Sasu-kun." Anuri sat down on the grass and rubbed her burnt cheeks a little. "My clan has special fire style jutsu's you know. But I don't know them, nor can I learn them without mastering the basics. Like the simple Fireball." She laid back on the grass and watched the clouds roll over head. "You know I don't have a real drive or ambition to keep me going like you." She tilted her head back to watch him stare at her, "I simply go through the day as though it was my last day on earth. That's why I don't care how long it takes me to hone my better skills, I have all the time in the world. I'm only living after all." _

_"Hn." Sasuke grunted. He didn't understand her sometimes. She had told him what happened to her clan once, a while ago and he confessed his own clan's destruction. She knew what happened and what caused her loneliness. So why wasn't she angry or bitter? Looking for revenge. "I'll never understand you Anuri."_

_She grinned at him, "I certainly hope so. Otherwise things would get quiet if we didn't have anything to talk about." She caught his mild glare and rolled over on her stomach to stare at him calmly. "Well mister Uchiha, I don't get you either." Sasuke raised an eyebrow in a silent question. "You choose to live as an avenger instead of simply just living your life to its fullest. I'm not that alone, I have you Sasuke. And the animals around me. And I have the memories of those who I love." Those words were beyond her years and made Sasuke from slightly in confusion._

_She jumped to her feet picking up her sword and holding it in front of her ready, "So are you ready to spar or what?" _

_Sasuke took up a fighting stance, "Are __you__ ready to spar Anuri?"_

"Anuri, hey stop spacing out. We have to set up camp." Anuri blinked, she was in the middle of a barely started campsite. Naruto stopped snapping his fingers in front of her face and grinned. "Come on, show off your amazing fire jutsu and light the fire while we get out stiff set up."

Anuri smiled and gathered the fire wood, "Hey Naruto, which jutsu did you want me to use?" She set up the wood carefully so it would last longer and give off only as much light as they needed.

"The dragon one!" Naruto cheered getting excited like a kid about to watch a fireworks display.

"What?" Sakura stood next to the bouncy orange ninja, "Dragon? I've never heard of a fire dragon jutsu." Kakashi nodded his head in agreement and watched from over his book.

Amuri smiled, the smile that easily hid her emotions and threw everyone off. "Then watch carefully pupil of mine." She did rapid hand signs that not even Kakashi could follow and took in a deep breath. Blowing out slowly a stream of fire left her lips. As it started to curl around her body, it became a serpentine dragon. Sakura's face became one of awe as Anuri held out her arm and the dragon wound about it. "Now to show off as Naruto put it." Anuri muttered, she started moving in almost a trance like dance, the dragon following her every move. It spun and twisted about her body, growing in size and sparks emitted from its body occasionally.

Naruto watched as though he was in a trance himself. The flames where hot and flew dangerously close to their tents. But they never caught, Anuri's control held firm. She twisted and sent the flame into the waiting wood. Their fire lit Anuri sat down and hummed a little to herself, happy nothing caught fire.

Kakashi watched his old student in surprise. She had come a long way in eight years. A very long way, Kakashi could remember the last fire type jutsu she had practiced with him. It didn't go right, and some buildings had caught on fire in the process. To be able to control the fire in the middle of the woods after that predicament, was a great leap in her development.

"That was even better then the last time!" Naruto cheered now warming his ramen by the fire. _'She has mastered that perfectly! Sasuke, you bastard you left her. You left her behind knowing she trusted you and was working on a jutsu secretly to show you what she was capable of. This jutsu.' _

Anuri smiled, "Thank you Naruto-kun." Anuri slowly seamed to slip away form the group and vanished from site. Kakashi watched her go. Or tired to, each time he went back to look for her, she had moved a little more away, without his notice.

"Anuri, come here a second." Kakashi called before the orange hared ninja could slip out of his sight. She materialized out of the darkness and stood in front of him. "Is there a particular reason why you are trying to disappear?"

"I wasn't." Anuri objected crossing her arms as though the action reinforced her statement. Kakashi raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

The next morning Anuri woke to find herself warm and nestled in the nest of her oversized clothes, under the roots of a tree. Naruto, and Sakura were making lots of noise trying to find her. Anuri blinkedand yawned, slipping out of her hiding spot. She grabbed her swords and secured them onto her back and waved at Naruto, still yawning. "Hmm, here."

"We were worried about you!" Naruto yelled, it was the truth. They had woken to her moaning several times in the night, and they couldn't find her. Unable to see well enough they waited until dawn to find her. She looked at him lost, slightly dazed.

"Gomen Naruto, I fell into habit and hid myself away." Anuri said rubbing her eyes slowly waking up. _'This is going to be a long trip.' _Anuri thought idly to herself and waited for Naruto to finish his breakfast normally if she were on her own, she would sleep and when she woke just continue on. She was never found while she slept and even if she was, she wold wake if anyone came within six meters of her. Naruto looked at her curiously.

"Anuri, aren't you going to eat?" Anuri shook her head smiling.

"I'm good." He looked at her concerned, she hadn't eaten dinner either. "Really Naruto-kun, I'm fine. I don't eat much." He frowned but went back to his ramen.

Kakashi suddenly spoke up helping Sakura pack her tent away, "Okay let's get some training in on this mission." Anuri cocked her head to the side confused. "Anuri you're going to be leading us into the Lighting country, avoid Otogakure's border please. Naruto and Sakura are going to attempt to keep up with you, tracking you. So stay out of site, well mostly, let them see you enough to follow. That's their training, you are going to double as a scout too. I'll cover the rear and make sure they don't lose you. Okay team?"

"Heeeeey, is that supposed to be an insult Kakashi-sensie?" Naruto demanded crossing his arms.

"Naruto-kun," Anuri sighed, "Just do as he says." For the next hour or so Naruto and Sakura tried to follow Anuri with great difficulty. She would disappear and reappear yards in front of them with ease. Never quite staying within sight for more then a few seconds. At one time Naruto and Sakura spotted her reclining in a tree munching on a Slim Jim looking more then relaxed.

"How come this is so hard!" Naruto wailed backtracking a moment to find the footprints Anuri left behind her. Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder.

"This is her gift Naruto. She was able to sneak up on me when she was first put under my training at thirteen. I didn't notice her until she was within striking distance of my back." Kakashi said scanning the area around them, looking for Anuri as well. Something wasn't sitting right with him.

"Seriously Kakashi-sensei? Why wasn't she made a jonin or even an Anbu earlier?" Sakura asked looking at her teacher amazed.

"Many different reasons." Kakashi lowered his voice. "We need to start heading for the trading village near by. We are being followed." Anuri seamed to materialize out of a shadow next to him.

"I was about to confirm that." Anuri said making Naruto and Sakura jump a little, "Five ninja thirty meters behind, they haven't seen me yet, but they know of the three of you. I'm sure they're sound." Kakashi nodded understanding quickly.

"Anuri stay out of sight. Naruto, Sakura keep acting as though you are following her to the village." Kakashi ordered as Anuri melted into the shadows as easily as though it was like breathing.

Anuri remained out of sight as Kakashi rented a room at a cheep inn for them to stay in. She was close to the group at times, but always kept them within her line of vision as they scouted out the town in case they needed a getaway. She even caught Naruto's gaze as she cut the purse of a thug who had just finished robbing and beating a weaker street rat. Anuri looked away slightly ashamed and pocketed the money anyway.

By nightfall Anuri collected as much information needed to dispense of the ninja and slipped into the inn as Kakashi closed the door behind Naruto and Sakura.

"Five of them, three chunnin and two jonin." Anuri said as Kakashi signaled her to report. "A little wet behind the ears but aren't afraid of a confrontation. They are sound ninja sent to monitor the activities of Leaf ninja in the area." Anuri said still hidden in the shadows. "They are planning on reporting in tonight, sending out one of their team to give word to whoever is in charge of the closest base."

"Where?"

"Two in a room three doors to the left, three outside our window a story down preparing to attack. They are hoping we will be easy targets and an easy promotion." Anuri crossed her arms. "If you want I can deal with them on my own."

"We are supposed to be working as a team Anuri." Kakashi reminded her softly. "You will act as backup incase any of them get away or if the fight progresses at a unfair rate." Anuri scowled and bit her lip.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei, what are we going to do about them then?" Sakura asked resting her head on her hand thoughtfully.

"I have an idea!" Naruto cheered and bent forward to share it with his teammates quietly. "So?"

"You're crazy Naruto-kun," Anuri said shaking her head smiling, "I like it better then Kakashi's plan." Kakashi gave her a look of fake hurt.

"We'll put your plan into action then Naruto." Kakashi said slipping out the door to do his part. Sakura's gaze followed him out then turned to Naruto as Anuri kissed his cheek before slipping out of the window to do her own part.

"Are you and Anuri going out?" Sakura asked crossing her arms, "I thought you were crushing on Hinata."

Naruto grinned, "I am, but Anuri's amazing and really confident in what she does. Besides, it didn't mean anything. She's said goodbye like that for three years now." Naruto folded his arms behind his head grin widening, "Come on Sakura-chan let's go!"

Anuri hunted down the messenger that had already been sent out as Naruto thought he would before the battle started. Anuri quickly pinned the ninja under her own body and cut off all leverage. The ninja ceased struggling as the cold metal of one of Anuri's kunie's touched his neck.

"So who exactly is in charge of this base you were heading to?" Anuri asked, voice deadly cold and emotionless. When he didn't answer Anuri grabbed his wrist and twisted it painfully, using the man's own edged chain to pin it there.

"Why should I tell you!" The ninja demanded, Anuri rolled her eyes and gave the chain a sharp tug. The edges of the chain cut deep into the body of the ninja wherever it touched him. He cried out in pain as his hand was nearly severed in the pull.

"I can go on for hours. This is what I was trained to do." Anuri hissed, "Keeping you alive and killing you slowly are two very different things floating through my mind right now. The more you talk the better your chances are."

The ninja under her grunted, "No!" Anuri sighed and wrapped what was left of the chain length around a tree, stringing him up like a ham. Anuri slowly added weight to the other end. The more weight, the tighter the chain became and the higher the ninja was drawn up into the air.

"So you're one of the jonin in the group," Anuri muttered, "You'll know more then the others. Now tell me what you know!" The ninja shook his head and Anuri cut into his neck, slowly and lightly. Just enough for him to feel pain, but not enough to kill him. He almost screamed, if Anuri didn't take his headband and shoved it in his mouth to muffle the sound.

"Are you ready yet?" He shook his head frantically, and Anuri kicked him hard in the crotch. Tears spilled down the man's face and he started to nod.

"Sasuke Uchiha! He's in charge of the base!"

"Where?" Anuri asked, when he didn't reply Anuri stabbed him with her kunie. "Where!"

"Two days north of here!" The ninja was sobbing helplessly now. "Lord Orochimaru is visiting for now I don't know when he's going to leave! I swear!" Anuri smiled showing off her fangs.

"Is that really all?" Her voice changed to one of mock surprise, "Are you sure because what you've told me isn't satisfying at all you know."

"Sasuke has collected three teammates with Lord Orochimaru's permission! Juugo, Karin and Suigetsu! Suigetsu and Juugo are in Otogakure with Kabuto right now running an errand. And Karin is with Sasuke to keep him company!" The ninja flinched away from her as Anuri tightened the chains. "There is no one at Sasuke's base! He doesn't like people! Orochimaru wanted to talk with him about someone from the Bakenokawa clan!"

"Tell me about this person." Anuri's curiosity grew more as the ninja continued to spill his guts to her. "Come on, I won't tell them a single word about this little confrontation."

The man's fearfull gaze followed her kunie and then glanced at her swords. "A woman! Late twenties. She came to Orochimaru wanting information on another younger girl. She will make a deal if Orochimaru provides the details she wants! They are planning meet again in four months! I swear that's all I know about it!" Anurio nodded patting the ninja on the shoulder.

"If you swear then, I don't need you anymore." Anuri said, walking away from the newly decapitated corpse. "No hard feelings, just doing what I was trained to do mate."


	3. Chapter 2: Hello Sasuke

Chapter 2: Hello Sasuke

"Cover my back Sakura!" Kakashi yelled, trying to hold off a monstrous creature from what might just have been hell itself.

Naruto's plan had been more then successful last night. Anuri had told them what she had learned but avoided what happened to the ninja she had been put in charge of. Naruto managed to talk them out of staying the full night at the inn and into setting out on the road earlier. The only problem the ninja had sent out word before them, and Sasuke himself had come to deal with their squad.

Sakura moved to cover her sensei's back only to be cut off by a red head with glasses. Anuri blocked an attack from one of the monsters and forced it into the other, clearing Kakashi's way. Naruto had run off a few minutes before after Sasuke, who didn't even stay long enough to see Anuri fly out of the shadows attacking some ninja.

Kakashi looked over the way his hyper active pupil had run off in and back to Anuri, who was grappling with the new red head as Sakura recovered from a punch to the head. "Anuri! After Naurto! Sakura cover her!" Anuri grunted in acknowledgement and twisted, putting the red head off balance as Sakura punched her in the head as a favor.

Anuri smiled in thanks and dove for the cover of the trees, running after her blond friend with everything she had.

Sasuke stared emotionlessly at Naruto as he plunged through the trees in his direction. His cold eyes narrowed as the blond fell over on his stomach, pinned by a figure in black, half hidden by the shadows. He was released after minute and was alone again, Naruto looked up and Sasuke directly and glared determinedly. After two minutes or so he stood not twenty feet from the Uchiha.

"Come back with us Sauske!" the Uchiha gave Naruto a dead look.

"No."

Naruto growled irritated. "Why not! Can't you see that Orochimaru's only using you! Don't you want to live your life without being under anyone's thumb!"

_'He's holding back.'_ Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "Where's your friend?" The one who pinned you minutes ago."

Anuri stepped out of the shadows to his left, orange hair tied up in a neat pony tail. "Are you coming with us?" she asked. Sasuke forced himself not to react to this woman's presence. He never saw this woman sneak up on him, nor did he sense her. She stood by Naruto now.

"No."

"Sure?"

"Hai."

The woman gave Naruto a sad gaze, and put a hand on his arm, "Sorry Naruto-kun. Go back to Kakashi-senei, he'll need your help soon enough if not now."

"But-!"

"Go." She kissed his cheek and pushed him in the direction he had just come from.

Naruto groaned but gave in, "Fine! But I'll be back in time to help you drag Sasuke's ass back to the village!" He ran back the way he had come.

"Well Sasuke, How are you doing? Being with Orochimaru and all." Sasuke frowned, she was starting off with small talk? Why was she acting so familiar with him.

"Tell me your name." Hurt flashed across her face for a second before it vanished.

"Didn't think I had changed that much." She rubbed the back of her neck, "Bakenokawa Anuri. Nice to see you again." Orange hair, mismatched eyes, fangs, how could she be anyone else! How could he be that stupid not to recognize her!

"Anuri, I'm not going back to Konoha with you." Sasuke grunted peeved with himself for not recognizing her at all.

She tilted her head to the side confused, "Why not?"

"I'm still getting power from Orochimaru." His answer was cold. He hadn't seen her in eight years and he was starting to act like an ass already. Way to go Uchiha.

Her eyes reflected sadness and pity as she stared at him, "Right then. Unto another topic. I've heard you've been using a copy of my techniques." She crossed her arms and gave him the look a mother would when scolding a child. "I see you carry a sword now. Do you know how to use it properly with my tactics?"

Sasuke glared at the woman in front of him. She was talking as though he had only been away for a few weeks, not eight years. "Hai."

Anuri raised an eyebrow and a trace of a smile ghosted across her full lips. She pulled out a kunie, "How about a spar then?" Sasuke drew his sword as Anuri ran at him, kunie ready.

Her kunie was cut in half cleanly by Sasuke's sword, but it never cut Anuri's flesh. Sasuke looked down in mild surprise to see Anuri finishing hand signs. He jumped back, quickly avoiding a fireball three to four times larger them himself.

"You've improved." Sasuke commented activating his sharingon.

"Arigato." Anuri fingered the hilt of one of her swords before pulling out shuriken.

"Put those away and draw your swords." Sasuke snapped, she was playing with him. He knew she was a swords woman, not with shuriken and kunie.

"But you need to see the difference in our chakra's. The differences are what make my swordsman ship superior to yours." Sasuke frowned and Anuri launched the shuriken. He deflected them with his sword easily and launched a volley of his own at her.

Black and crimson chakra surged from her body like a shield, covering her from the shuriken like a wall. Sasuke couldn't help it when his eyes widened, nothing could fool his sharingon. She had summoned chakra so quickly, built it up so dense that has become as solid as a wall. "What jutsu is this!" He demanded.

"It's not a jutsu, it's my chakra's power." It seeped back into Anuri's small frame, so she wouldn't lose her strength for the upcoming battle. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and charged her. Anuri's boy swayed, waving back and forth almost like a dancer avoiding the bite of Sasuke's blade.

Anuri's stomach rolled, he kept speeding up getting closer and closer with that blade of his. Sasuke's last cut grazed her arm ever so lightly. He was truly trying top kill her now.

_'I'm sorry Naruto, I'll have to fight him all out'_ Anuri thought dimly starting hand signs. Sasuke moved closer, and Anuri shifter to the side finishing her hand signs. She concentrated a massive amount of chakra to her chest and before Sasuke could move back blew a huge fire dragon at him. Sasuke winced as the inferno slammed into his chest and knocked him off balance.

Nimbly Sasuke leaped out of the way. Hiding in the trees Sasuke watched with curious eyes as the dragon swerved back around and curled protectively around Anuri. The heat waves made it look as though her body was swaying from side to side. Her eyes searched the area carefully for him, holding pain, determination, and regret? Did she regret ever knowing him?

No, she kissed Naruto, she can't regret that if she's with him.

Anuri's eye snapped to Sasuke and the dragon was launched at him. Sasuke summoned chidori and ran it over his blade, running to meet the dragon. Anuri struggled not to recoil as Sasuke ran her dragon through with his blade. Instincts kicking in Anuri vanished.

"You've improved too Sasuke. Your speed is much, much faster. Do you wear legs weights like Rock Lee?"

Sasuke scanned the area looking for the orange hared ninja. "No." She simply wasn't there, but he cold _feel_ her presence.

"I really didn't think so anyway." Anuri crouched low sliding her swords from their well oiled sheathes. They made no sound and Anuri held them ready. "Sasuke, I'm sorry but I can't afford to hold back on you now." She lunged running forward, staying out of site easily and closed in on the Uchiha.

The whistling of metal through the air was all that alerted Sasuke of Anuri's blades. His own blade took the staggering force of Anuri's. Sasuke's eyes involuntarily widened as the air that shold have held Anuri, was empty.

_'This is bad, my sharingon can't track her. If I retreat I won't know where she is and might just be running into a trap.'_ Sasuke felt his arms and shoulder start to throb. Her blows were becoming heavier, timing closer and closer together. For a few seconds Sasuke saw Anuri. She ran straight for him, blades glowing and she spun just as she was in range. Bringing extra force to back her attacks. Sasuke ducked and slammed his elbow into her stomach. Anuri's eyes widened and she rolled away from Sasuke gasping, desperately trying to get her breath back.

"You're fast." Sasuke said taking his time in getting to her. Anuri clutched her stomach with one arm and reached for her sword, "But I'm faster." Sasuke kicked her sword away carelessly. Anuri's chakra exploded from her body and lashed out at him dangerously. Sasuke narrowed his eyes as a few cuts formed on his body from the chakra. "No one's coming to help you. Give up already."

Anuri coughed and spit out the blood, that welled up in her mouth, to the side. Her voice was slightly bitter as she talked to him, "That might have worked on someone else Sasuke," She locked gazes with him, "I've never been on a mission with someone else until now you know." She stood slowly arms out in each direction of a fallen sword. "The whole backup concept, I haven't even thought of that. I'm not used to it you see because," Her gaze turned chilly, "I have no need nor see the point of it." Anuri flicked her wrists and the swords shot into her palms. They glowed with her chakra as it molded to them, reinforcing them. "Come on then."

Sasuke shifted into a defensive stance, _'I hope I have enough chakra to keep him going long enough to wear himself out'_ Anuri thought as she lunged, twirling her blades expertly, easily in her hands. Sasuke jumped back in attempt to avoid the sting of her blades. One cut clean through a bolder like butter, the other twisted with expert precision cut under his guard and deep into his shoulder. Anuri let her chakra surge into his body as she removed her blade feeling triumphant.

She back flipped away, performing two sets of hand signs, one molding into the other smoothly. Sasuke grabbed her hands in a crushing grip stopping her right before the last sign was complete. Crimson eyes blazed in anger and he twisted one of her wrists sharply, painfully snapping the bone cleanly. Anuri screamed in pain and kneed Sasuke low in the gut. Wrenching her good hand free she filled it with chakra and slammed it into face. She smiled as his head flew to the side, his grip on her loosened enough for her to break free and retreat from him.

Anuri bit her lip and pulled out a roll of bandages. Pealing off her arm guard she felt it split in two. Quickly she adjusted it, grateful she had brought it for once. Anuri started wrapping her wrist and the makeshift splint tightly, eyes watering a little from the pain.

"He isn't your Sasuke anymore Anuri," She scolded herself for letting her resolve slip a little, "Sasuke wouldn't snap your wrist like that, and look victorious as he did it." Anuri stepped out of her hiding place and pulled out a kunie.

Sasuke focused on her, blood staining his white shirt and he too had taken advantage of the small break for an opportunity to stop the bleeding. "Come back to Konoha with me." Anuri pleaded stepping forward, gaining ground slowly.

"No, go find Naruto and take the answer already." Sasuke snapped, almost bitterly.

Anuri sighed, shoulders sagging. "Then say 'goodbye' this time." Sasuke gave her an even stare. One she recognized as '_what?_', "You left without saying goodbye. I want to hear you say it this time. Until you say it I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Yes she had defiantly changed, in more ways then one. And yet she was still the same. Sasuke decided hardening his glare as Naruto's and Sakura's chakra signatures got closer. Sasuke ran forward, reaching Anuri before she had time to react and grabbed her good wrist tightly. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you instead?" He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her struggling form against his body. This time she couldn't use her legs to escape.

She stared at him wordlessly, mouth slightly agape. Did he really just say that? "ANURI-CHAN!" Naruto arrived, bursting through the clearing, he and Sakura supporting Kakashi between them. Naruto's breath caught in his throat.

Anuri's blades were to far away for her to call them to her. One would have though Sasuke and Anuri were about to dance the way he was holding her. He held her right wrist to the side, arm wrapped around her waist pinned her other arm to her side. Naruto and Sakura carefully laid Kakashi on the ground and started toward the frozen pair.

Sasuke's gaze flickered to them and he tightened his grip on Anuri's wrist, making her cry out in alarm and pain. Naruto and Sakura froze instantly, "Let her go Sasuke!" Naruto yelled hardly daring to breathe.

_"Naruto-kun, promise me something." Anuri whispered pinning the orange ninja face down in the dirt. Naruto struggled under her hold but yielded to the small girl._

_"Anything Anuri-chan." Anuri loosened her grip but did not get off the blond ninja._

_"If Sasuke refuses to come with us when you ask. And ignores your reasoning. Go back to Kakashi and Sakura. Let me fight him." Anuri said voice pleading as though she didn't want to ask him to do this. _

_"I-I can't Anuri!" Naruto cried voice cracking slightly, how could she ask him to do that?_

_"Naurot please I'm begging you!" Anuri's voice raised a little. "Kakashi and Sakura will need your help and I need to have a chance to face him. He's been haunting the back of my mind for eight years Naruto!" Naurot's eyes widened as her own voice cracked a little, "Please I need to face him alone, and I will make sure not to kill him and not to go all out. I just need to face him." Anuri pleaded and Naruto finally nodded understanding._

_"Hai Anuri-chan I promise you." _

_Anuri smiled, "Arigato Naruto-kun. If I can't beat him then I'll make sure to hold him there long enough for you to get there." With that Anuri vanished and Naruto stood glaring into the far off eyes of his rival. _

Naruto shook violently with rage and fear, _'I shouldn't have made that promise and left her alone!'_ Guilt washed over Naruto in waves that almost suffocated him.

"Then kill me Sasuke!" Anuri cried out at him. Sasuke dropped her in shock, Anuri fell to her knees in a heap as he took a step back. "Well kill me! If that's what you want to do then do it already!" Anuri fumbled with the zipper of her jounin vest. She ripped it and her jacket open exposing the tee shirt beneath. Watching him, waiting for him to finish her. "Just Kill Me Already Sasuke!" Sasuke hesitantly put his sword to her neck, was this some kind of trick?

She did nothing, didn't even flinch as the cold metal touched her pale flesh. Instead she stared into his eyes silently telling him she wasn't afraid of death. But also showed him pain, rage, sadness, and loneliness. The unmistakable feeling of crushing loneliness that he carried on his won shoulders was nearly twice as heavy in her eyes.

"You still live for the day don't you?" Sasuke asked, "You, Anuri Bakenokawa, don't care if you die or not because you are content with your life correct?"

"Hai." Anuri breathed not taking her eyes away.

Sasuke removed his sword from her neck and turned his back on her. "I don't believe that." He looked over his shoulder, "You've changed in many ways, you might not see it but I do." The red head with glasses that Anuri had left Sakura with appeared next to Sasuke.

"I'll finish her off for you Sasuke-kun. That look she's giving me is annoying."

"Karin stop," She looked at Sasuke surprised. "We retreat for now."

"Sasuke!" He and Karin vanished as Naruto charged for him. Anuri got to her feet slowly, cradling her broken wrist feeling tired and drained. Naruto huffed in defeat and wrapped a comforting arm around Anuri's shoulders.

She rested her head on his shoulder, "I'm sorry Naruto. I went all out, but he was to fast for me." Naruto was silent for a moment before facing Anuri.

"Don't worry about it Anuri-chan, I should have told you how much he's changed." Naruto grasped her elbow and lifted her injured wrist, "Is it broken?" Anuri nodded.

"Probably snapped clean. He has a very tight grip." Naruto led her back to Kakashi and Sakura. "Is Kakashi-sensei alright?" Anuri sat next to Sakura as she checked Kakashi's vitals for the third time.

"Hai, he's just unconscious." Sakura said looking very relieved. She started to heal Anuri's wrist as Naurto ran to recover her blades. "So have we failed?" Anuri blinked and looked at Sakura confused.

"No. I mean, Naruto and I will follow Sasuke and ambush him tonight. If Kakashi's awake by then you both of you can come, if not I would prefer if you would stay with him Sakura." Anuri said, "I don't mean to put you down but someone needs to watch over Kakashi if he wakes and you're the only one with medical ninjutsu." Sakura nodded in understanding.

"So why tonight?"

"The trail won't go cold and he'll hopefully be distracted with his injuries and won't be paying enough attention to notice us until we're on top of him." Anuri said filling Naruto in as Sakura finished healing Anuri's wrist.

"That might be a little sore for a while." Sakura said as Anuri flexed her wrist working the stiffness out of it.

"It's great Sakura!" Anuri cheered quietly pulling the sealing small scroll out from her jouinin vest. Opening it she scooted back away from Sakura and Naurto, "Beware of the Gumbo!" Before Naruto and Sakura could ask what was making her crazy Anuri summoned said tiger and her pack.

"Hey Gumbo." Anuri hugged the tiger around the neck smiling as Gumbo's rough tongue covered her face in greeting. Naruto and Sakura on the other hand, looked like they had just suffered a heart attack each and died of shock. Anuri and Gumbo looked at them confused, Gumbo a little hurt. "Don't worry about them Gumbo. I think they're just in shock."

"OF COURSE WE'RE IN SHOCK! YOU JUST SUMMONED GUMBO WITH ABSOLUTLY NO WARNING AT ALL!" Naruto yelled conking Anuri on the head.

"Ow!" Anuri whined clutching her head pretending to cry, "That hurt and I did give you warning. I said 'Beware of the Gumbo' right?"

Sakura looked at her teammates and couldn't help but smile. They were such morons sometimes but it was great that they were distracting her from the mission for now. She didn't want to dwell on the thought of failure. Not again, because that would mean Sasuke was up for the death sentence.

"Why are you all being so loud?" Anuri smiled and ducked under Naruto's fist easily to jump to the side of her sensei. Kakashi was giving them a stern glare that said he wasn't happy but not mad at them. "We are in the middle of enemy territory."

"Nya, it don't matter." Anuri said rather childishly, Kakashi stared at her and wasted no time in knocking her out.

"What did you go and do that for Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto demanded catching Anuri before she fell to the ground. Gently laying her down he faced his sensei confused.

"She's reaching her punchy zone. When she's so tired she's childishly hyper." Kakashi said pulling out his book, "She deserves some rest. I'm assuming she's come up with a plan already?" They nodded and explained the plan to him. "Makes sense, though Anuri needs to start coming up with new ideas, this is rather predicable of her."

"I thought it was good." Sakura said crossing her arms and leaning back against a tree, watching slow decent of the sun. "She never told us what she did with the ninja she took care of." The pink hared ninja looked thoughtful, there had been no sign of a fight when they found her cleaning off a chain careful not to hurt herself on the bladed edges. She smiled but avoided their questions.

Kakashi sighed heavily, this girl was good at keeping secrets. Even from her friends. "Guys, how do you know about Anuri's training?"

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other confused, "Nothing much, why?"

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair, "I've already told you about her gift to disappear right?" His pupils nodded, "After the academy she was cut loose because of this ability and the Thid Hokage wasn't sure how to approach her training. He wanted her trained, and that is the only reason why Tsunade had her trained in the first place. Anuri was never trained to be a regular ninja. I was assigned to train her in the very basics, then jump to the advanced training. Tsunade thought she wold give up after that, but Anuri didn't. She was trained to become a nameless assassin, to be used instead of the Anbu if the village wasn't supposed to be blamed for what she had done if she happened to be caught or killed.

"It was easy given her background. Anuri wasn't attached to anyone, no one really knew her. If she disappeared it would go unnoticed for weeks, maybe not at all." Kakashi looked at the sleeping girl sadly. "She looks like a half starved mercenary. Over sized clothes, to thin to be natural, dirty, any Daimyou* would think it was a street gang trying to take his life, not a ninja. I think that if she really pushed herself to train I mean really give it everything she had, she could surpass the title Hokage."

Naruto clenched his fists, this wasn't right. What did Anuri do to deserve this? She's always been nice and shy, as far as Naruto knew she didn't have a demon within her. "The Village, is doing this to her! What could possibly be so wrong with the village that they have cast her out like this!"

"Naruto-"

"No! Sakura-chan this isn't fair to Anuri-chan!" Naruto yelled getting to his feet, crying a little. "When I'm Hokage I'm going to change everything! No one should be put down like that! Used like that its not right!"

Kakashi felt guilty for telling them so much about her, things Anuri didn't even know herself. But they needed to understand what influenced her actions so much. It took thirty minutes to calm Naruto down and an hour after that the sun finally set. Sakura woke Anuri gently, avoiding the flailing fists when Anuri woke.

"What happened?" Anuri mumbled rubbing sleep from her eyes yawning. She was much calmer then before, quieter and aware of her surroundings.

"You fell asleep," Kakashi said smiling under his mask at the girl. Green and Blue eyes locked on him sleepily for a moment before they drifted to the horizon where the sun could no longer be seen. "Time to go everyone, Anuri?"

Anuri finished fishing out a half eaten Slim Jim and resealed her bag. "Coming, come on Gumbo." She gave Gumbo a quick pat on the head and ran to catch up with Kakashi and the others, munching on the Slim Jim.

"Lead the way Anuri, it'll be faster if you pick up the trail." Anuri nodded and disappeared into the darkness. Perched in a tree the did hand signs, "Reiketsudoubutsu Sagasu Uchiha Sasuke!" She closed her eyes, and could see the black and white outlines of everything, similar to a byuakugan user's sight when his blood line is activated. Everything was cold, but Anuri searched for the speck of heat she knew was there. Somewhere there was a small flame, there! Anuri had almost finished a one eighty turn when she saw it. A bright red flame, not very far from where she was perched.

Anuri opened her eyes, keeping the jutsu activated she jumped down next to Naruto. She could feel a small pull toward the red flame. "Okay I know where he went. Come on." Anuri took the lead, Sakura and Naruto on either side of her with Kakashi bringing up the rear. They took to the trees and jumped from branch to branch quickly.

"Hey Anuri, how do you know which way Sasuke went?" Sakura asked, narrowly avoiding a tree branch.

"Hmm? Oh, that's a secret." Anuri said smiling, in truth she didn't want to tell anyone about her jutsu. Through it she was linked to many people and didn't want to share who they happened to be.

Sakura looked confused and curious but dropped the subject. She glanced to Naruto hoping he knew what Ki was hiding but he shook his head. Not even Naruto knew, _'How many secrets can one person keep?'_ Sakura thought idly remembering Anuri when they first met. Quiet and listening, picking up knew facts about people and never sharing what she learned. Avoiding questions about who she really was when she talked, and would occasionally remind the pink hared kuniochi of Sasuke, both of them were quiet and an aura of mystery surrounded them. _'Anuri, she talks a lot well more then she used to. But she doesn't say anything.'_

Anuri stopped suddenly, and grabbed the back of Naruto's jacket and hauled him back before he got ahead of her. She put a finger to her lips, ordering silence. Gumbo stopped under the silent ninja and went on instant alert. "Watch for these damn traps." Anuri breathed, barely audible in the silence. Reaching over to the next branch, right where Naruto was about to land was a paper bomb.

Anuri deactivated it easily and started to talk in a normal voice. "This thing is sound based, and very sensitive to motion. Naruto-kun, if you had landed on that branch." Anuri trailed off letting Naruto think up of the ending himself.

"We're close, I can smell smoke." Kakashi said, Anuri pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. "How close are we Anuri?"

"Almost right above them." She pointed down, and eight meters to the left was a fire. Sasuke sat with his back to them, shirtless and cleaning the cut on his shoulder, ignoring Karin as she volunteered to clean it for him. The opposite shoulder was bruised heavily from the strain of blocking heavy blows and force of Anuri's blades battering through his defense.

"Split up, cover them so they can't escape." Anuri said tensing up, as Kakashi continued her orders, "Sakura you and I will cover the red head, Anuri and Naurto you take down Sauske." Anuri nodded mutely and disappeared.

She was close enough to hear Sasuke talking to Karin in the camp. Naruto and the others weren't ready yet, so she waited impatiently.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help you patch that up Sasuke-kun?" Karin asked eyeing the Uchiha hungrily. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and grunted.

"No."

Karin frowned but kept at it, "You're shoulder's going to be sore in the morning. How did that girl land such a blow on you? I mean she's so small I don't believe she could pack that hard of a punch."

Sasuke glared at the red head, "She didn't." Sasuke pulled the bandage tight with his teeth. "The force behind her blades did."

"Yeah, right."

Sasuke glared at Karin, "When she catches up to us. Don't fight her."

Karin's jaw dropped and she looked at Sasuke shocked, "Nani?"

"You're to weak to fight her." Sasuke growled slowly rotating his shoulder, trying to keep it from getting stiff. Karin was still looking at him confused, "At your current fighting level, Anuri could kill you. End of story."

Anuri blinked in surprise, was this a good or a bad thing? Was he complementing her or something. Anuri caught Naruto's signal from the corner of her eyes and Kakashi's from in front of her. Sakura had already signaled and Anuri wasn't allowed to make the first move. But Gumbo was.

The tiger strolled into the camp, not bothered at all by the yelp Karin issued and plopped himself down by the fire. Gumbo and Sasuke gave the Karin a look that read, 'What's your problem?'. Gumbo growled at Karin when she pulled out a kunie.

"I don't like cats." As she advanced on Gumbo, Sakura and Kakashi jumped her. Trying to pin the red headed kuniochi down was proving harder then they had initially thought.

Naruto ran for Sasuke's back, hoping to catch him off guard as he focused on the three fighting dangerously close to the fire. Sasuke's blade materialized out of thin air and blocked Naruto's kunie.

"Sasuke!" Naruto growled pushing harder against the sword Sasuke wielded with ease.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Where's Anuri?" Anuri bit her thumb, he knew she was nearby but staying out of sight was the best choice for now.

"You should be worrying about me!" Naruto yelled as Sasuke deflected Naruto's clone with a kunie. "Shadow Clone jutsu!"

Anuri forced herself not to slap her forehead at the sight of twenty Naruto's charging Sasuke. This was a typical Naruto Uzumaki attack and it wasn't going to work on Sasuke, no matter how many times he tried. Sasuke cut down all of the clones and punched Naruto hard in the stomach. Blood leaked from the corner of Naruto's mouth as he struggled to stand locked in the clutches of a snake. Anuri frowned, she never saw Sasuke summon a snake.

Gumbo growled and jumped Sasuke himself, claws digging into the back of the Uchiha harshly. Sasuke grunted and glared murderously at the tiger before detaching the claws and throwing the animal to the side with obvious ease. Sasuke activated his Sharingon and started toward Naruto who was still struggling with the snake.

Anuri couldn't wait anymore, the feeling of unnatural rage filled her body suddenly. Sasuke was attacking Naruto. Sasuke _was_ her best friend, Naruto _is_ her best friend. They shouldn't be fighting. So why were they?

Anuri's rational thought process left her as she jumped form her hiding place, snarling like an animal. Sasuke spun around to face the furious Anuri in time to block her swords. Sasuke grunted in shock and slight pain as he saw the raw furry boiling in Anuri's eyes. Something he had never seen before. He side stepped away from Anuri, and Naruto collided with the furious kuniochi.

"Anuri-chan!" Naruto grunted, getting off his female friend and helped her up focussing on the Uchiha. Anuri lunged for Sasuke, leaving Naruto to cover her back.

_'Her moves are ridged and irregular. She's too angry to focus on her swords.'_ Sasuke pushed Anuri back, slowly cutting her arms to ribbons. Naruto wasn't much better off, Anuri's unusual state of mind was distracting and he couldn't focus on two things at once in the middle of a fight.

Anuri ignored the burning pain in her arms and kept advancing on Sauske, who was pushing her back into a corner. It infuriated her that he, as injured as he was, was able to keep both her and Naruto at bay. Her chakra built up, pushing at the small amount of control over it. Finally it burst as Naruto was thrown back with a large gash across his stomach and landed with a sick crunch against a tree.

"NARUTO!" Anuri screamed as blood started to pool around her friend's lifeless form. Black and red chakra lashed out slamming into Sasuke and forcing him back. Anuri gripped her swords tightly and lunged for the Uchiha, lashing out with blades and chakra as her blows thundered down on him.

"Fireball jutsu!" Anuri was thrown off balance as she took the full force of Sasuke's fireball to her chest.

Kakashi looked to his left to check on Naruto and Anuri's fight with Sasuke. What he saw wasn't much of a fight though. Naruto was possibly mortally wounded and bleeding out against a tree. And Anuri was beyond control, her chakra flailing about her wildly as she ran at Sasuke time and time again. Kakashi finally could see her eyes and cold dread filled him.

_'No.'_

Was the only thought that filled his head. "Sakura go help Naruto!" Kakashi commanded running for the fight between Anuri and Sasuke. Kakashi jumped in the fight behind Anuri after Sasuke knocked her back. He put Anuri in a head lock, struggling to pin her down without hurting her or himself.

"Anuri! Stop it!" Sasuke was watching confusion sparking in his eyes, but took advantage of the situation and fled, Karin following him.

"Kakashi-sensei! Sasuke is-!" Sakura cut herself off watching in horror as Kakashi struggled to hold her teammate down. The calm kuniochi Sakura had come to respect was gone. Replaced by raw furry in human form. Anuri didn't hesitate to use her fangs, biting Kakashi's hand as he tried to get it over her mouth.

"Forget him for right now Sakura!" Kakashi grunted as Anuri thrashed trying to break herself from his grip. "Stabilize Naruto, and be ready to stabilize Anuri as well in a moment." Kakashi looked regretfully at his student and pulled out a kunie. He stabbed Anuri in the side, distracting her long enough to land a solid blow to the back of her head and knock her out.

_'It's starting. I thought she wasn't infected. I was hoping she wasn't.'_ Kakashi thought sadly picking up the now limp girl in his arms.

Daimyou* - Japanese feudal lord

Reiketsudoubutsu* - cold-blooded animal

Sagasu* - to search for


	4. Chapter 3: Captured

Chapter 3: Captured

"Kakashi-sensei, what happened?" Anuri asked groggily, waking up in a room and bed that wasn't familiar to her. In fact she couldn't even remember getting there in the first place. Next to her was a pale Naruto, sweating like crazy with Sakura hovering over him worried. Kakashi stood on her other side lost in hi own thoughts.

Her arms and shoulder's burned, legs sore. To put it shortly she didn't feel good at all and wasn't about to let anyone know that anyway.

"Anuri, what's the last thing you can remember during you fight with Sasuke?" Kakashi asked his pupil worriedly. He had to report this to Tsunade, if he didn't Sakura would start asking questions and poking her nose around trying to find answers.

Anuri frowned, what had happened? "Umm, I waited out of sight to attack. Gumbo was thrown away from Sasuke after Naruto was caught up with a giant snake. And then." Anuri stopped, what had happened then? She was angry, over what? Anuri suddenly became painfully aware of Sakura listening to everything she said.

"Where's Sasuke?" Anuri asked changing the subject abruptly.

"He got away." Kakashi said letting Anuri force herself out of bed and toward the open balcony windows. He followed her and spoke softly so that Sakura couldn't hear. "What do you remember?"

Anuri held her head, "Anger, rage, even hate. But I don't know why, Kakashi-sensei what's happening to me?" Her legs gave out from under her and she fell to the ground and curled up in a little ball. Much like a scared small child trying to hide themselves from the world.

Kakashi crouched in front of her, eyeing her sadly as she continued. "I remember fighting Sasuke, but I only made it harder for Naruto. I was worrying him, and he couldn't focus on the fight. Then Naruto was wounded and couldn't get back up. I was so angry, I lost control of my chakra and then nothing."

"Anuri, if you ever start coughing up blood, or get severe abdominal pains come find me." Kakashi ordered. "I don't care what's going on. Kick down the doors to the Hokage's office if you need to. Just get a hold of me and tell me." Kakashi helped her to her feet, "You might be sick and you're showing some symptoms but I can't be sure until you tell me if that's happening."

"Kakashi-sensei."

"Anuri, did I ever tell you that I knew your brother?" Kakashi asked suddenly, "I did and he told me about this, and who it can effect. It's an illness passed down through your blood, through your clan. Anuri," Kakashi broke off for a second, "When you get back home go through your clan's records. This is something I can't explain and you need to know about it."

"Kakashi-sensei! Naruto's-" Sakura started as Naruto sat up in bed suddenly, coughing and hacking away as he tried to find his breath.

Anuri touched her side gingerly, there was a stab wound she didn't remember getting there. It wasn't serious but if she tried anything to strenuous if might reopen. Anuri nodded pleased that her arms were healing remarkably fast, the wounds had closed but still wrapped to prevent infection. Overall she was just sore, easy to live with. She ran a hand through her hair wondering vaguely if she should tell Kakashi she was calling their mission off and had another one that had to start immediately.

"Sakura, do we have to take Naruto to Lady Tsunade?" Kakashi asked eyeing Naruto's now bloody sheets with distaste.

Sakura nodded, "We don't necessarily have to, but I would recommend it. She had more experience with wounds this deep. And Naruto's not healing like he normally does. It's so much slower.'

Anuri sighed heavily, "Kakashi-sensei, is the mission a failure then?" Kakashi nodded sadly pushing Naruto back into bed. He had passed out in the middle of his coughing fit and was out cold. "I have to go." Sakura and Kakashi looked at her in alarm.

"Nani!"

Anuri grabbed her things, taking her swords she looked at them sadly before handing them to Kakashi, wrapped neatly in her brothers jacket. "Lady Tsunade has sent me with another mission if this one should fail. I have to go before it's too late. Please Kakashi-sensei, I don't know if I'll survive this mission so if you could."

Kakashi was looking at her shocked almost beyond words, but he accepted the swords and jacket. "They will be waiting for your return." Anuri smiled at him and ducked into the bathroom. She stripped off her bloody clothes and changed into a fresh pair, combing her hair with her fingers. Anuri bit her lip and pulled out her scroll, "Anuri-"

She summoned a pair of sais, and rolled her scroll back up. "Anuri, does your mission have anything to do with Sauske-kun?" Sakura blurted rounding on the shorter kunoichi. Anuri's face turned stony, she latched the sais onto the back of her jounin's vest. "I overheard you and Lady Tsunade talking. Sasuke was mentioned and Orochimaru-"

"Do you know what my objective is?" Anuri hissed cutting her off, worried for her friend. It was a top secret mission. If anyone knew too much. . .

"No." Sakura was scared now, Anuri was acting differently. And it was too off character for her just to be having a bad day.

"Good." Anuri nodded pulling on her jounin vest, "I'll see you," she hesitated, "later I guess." She kissed Naruto's cheek and hopped out of the window.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's wrong with Anuri?" Sakura asked watching the window Anuri jumped out of carefully as though she might come back.

"You probably overheard instructions for a top secret mission Sakura." Kakashi put the swords down, "She really must not think she has a large chance of survival if she's letting someone take her swords and jacket home."

_'North, by north west.'_

Anuri thought turning left and sprinting at an easy pace through the trees. Gumbo ran beside her keeping pace easily as the trees started to thin out. Anuri's vision suddenly went black and she fell to the ground in shock, scaring the animals and making more noise then she liked.

"What," Anuri rubbed her eyes as her vision returned. Gumbo licked her cheek with his rough tongue, nuzzling her hands. "What happened Gumbo?" The tiger mewled like a kitten and laid down watching Anuri expecting her to do the same.

"Time to rest? Now?" Anuri rolled her eyes and let her shoulders slump. "Dang you're a lazy tiger." Anuri laid against the tiger, thoughts keeping her awake as the sun started to set. She missed traveling with Naruto and the rest of team seven suddenly. They made things interesting, it was quiet without them.

"Come on Anuri, you shouldn't have gotten so used to them being around. As soon as you get back to the village Tsunade won't let you leave for a month then the solo missions will start again." Anuri groaned talking to herself just to hear something other then Gumbo's soft purring and the wind through the trees. "Dang it."

Anuri rolled away from the tiger and started doing push ups, pull ups, curl ups, anything that might exhausted her and get rid of the pent up energy stored inside her small frame. She did this for hours before Gumbo got up, yawning and stretching. Figures the oversized house cat would decide to get moving again as soon as Anuri wore herself out. Anuri wiped her sweat off of her face, and smiled at the tiger, starting into the mountains now that it was dark. Gumbo followed Anuri, pushing her a little to tell her to move faster.

"You're a cruel task master." Anuri muttered, not at all bothered with her habit of talking to animals. Heck was it wrong to talk to anyone who acted more like a friend then a wild animal? No. But Anuri picked up the pace like the tiger so nicely asked and kept up the pace for nearly an hour.

Anuri had cut her jutsu down so that she felt a pull toward Sasuke's position. And Gumbo would occasionally snap at her heals telling her, she was letting the pace slack. Such a wonderful taskmaster. She stopped and looked up at the sheer cliff face, exhausted.

"Tomorrow." Anuri said slumping to the ground, leaning against Gumbo. She trusted the tiger with her life, and fell asleep, in plain sight with only Gumbo to watch over her.

"Nani! Why did you let her just leave!"

Naruto yelled suddenly as Sakura and Kakashi tried to explain to him why Anuri wasn't there. Tsunade stood behind them arms crossed with a dark look on her face.

Anuri Bakenokawa, was she the best choice to send on this mission after all? In the past three years she had managed to meet the rest of the students from her year, and had become mutual friends. Anuri was slowly becoming more open to the world, making herself known. That was not what Tsunade wanted to happen. The girl was trained to kill, cut off from everyone because of the outburst she had when she was younger. Her clan was one known for their ruthless and merciless fighting style. During wars they were greatly appreciated, and gifted smiths. But when there was no war, people avoided them. The close knit clan had a genetic sickness that Tsunade was secretly hoping she would figure out by keeping Anuri close under thumb.

"Oi! Granny what was Anuri-chan's mission!" Naruto demanded, facing the older blond. Determined to get an answer to matter what he had to do to get it.

Tsunade crossed her arms, "That's a top secret mission Naruto."

"SO!"

Tsunade recognized the determined glint in Naruto's eyes and suddenly, didn't feel like fighting with him over it. "She is to spy on Uchiha Sasuke, and kill him if she gets the opportunity. Damage done to Orochimaru is also a welcome part of her mission."

Naruto clenched his jaw, "Grandma, do you know what you're forcing her to become?" Naruto remembered what Kakashi had told him about her training. "You do realize you're making her an assassin right? And that what she really is trying to do is to make friends? She's not the same anymore. Anuri-chan's trying to make friends. How can she do that when you're doing everything you can to make sure she stays alone?"

"Naruto-" Tsunade started but was broken off by screaming in another part of the hospital. She glared furiously at Naruto, "I'll talk to you about this later." She turned on her heels and ran out of Naruto's room, heading for the source of the screaming.

"Ano, Kakashi-sensei, what time is it?" Naruto asked suddenly looking around the room for a clock.

"Quarter to five, why?"

Naruto jumped out of bed grinning like a fool, running into the bathroom with a change of clothes. "I told old man Teuchi I would cover for Anuri-chan while she's out on missions." He burst back into the room fully changed, minus the orange jacket.

"Wait, doesn't Teuchi-san own Ichiraku Ramen?" Sakura asked following the blond out of the hospital curiously. "Does Anuri still work there?"

"Yeah, I asked the old man if I could cover for her awhile back and he said it would be okay. I asked if he would let her still get paid for it. I mean I knew money was tight with her, she has to pay off the debt left on her family's houses." Naruto tilted his head to the side, "I don't get why she doesn't sell it and move into an apartment, I've offered her to move in with me, but she keeps refusing. Something about if her brother came home, she wants him to be able to find her easily."

Sakura frowned and followed Naruto out of the hospital. "Hey wait, she has a brother? I don't remember her mentioning him before."

Naruto looked sad and looked up to the sky, looking more mature then Sakura could remember seeing him in a long time. "Yeah, she has an older brother. He went missing in action what? Fifteen years ago?" Naruto nodded confirming the fact to himself. "Anyway, I think some part of her really believes he's still alive and out there somewhere. And she's just waiting for him to come home."

Anuri sneezed violently, clinging to the face of the cliff.

The side was nearly smooth rock, few hand holes and foot steps for her to hold onto. "Guess someone's talking about me huh Gumbo?" She looked up at the tiger, who was managing to climb with her, and faster then her to boot. The tiger made a sound of acknowledgement and kept climbing.

"Dang feline. I wish I had your natural yet unnatural climbing abilities." Anuri mumbled. True she could tree climb with her chakra. But after losing control of it in the middle of a fight, she didn't want to risk loosing control again while climbing a cliff face. That and Anuri wasn't too fond of heights.

When she finally reached the top, Anuri groaned pathetically and flopped onto her back. Arms and back sore from the over exertion and use of her muscles. "Must be really out of shape. I should really settle into a normal training routine." Gumbo liked her cheek with his sand paper tongue and nudged her side. "Give me a second here, I'm tired."

Anuri rested for a minute, and reached out through her jutsu to get a better idea as to where Sasuke was. Roughly three days north. How did he get so blooming far away? Last she checked he was only a half a day away.

_'Well isn't that just great?'_ Anuri rubbed her soon to be acing shoulders and stood up. "I'm going to take a short cut. Come on Gumbo." Both Tiger and girl slid into the shadows and Anrui grabbed a handful of Gumbo's fur carefully as not to hurt the tiger.

Locking onto Sasuke's location Anuri did careful hand signs and teleported towards his direction. Anuri landed head first on the ground and Gumbo simply landed on his feet. Anuri groaned and sat up rubbing her head.

"Note to self: Practice Jutsu before using it on mission. And know where you're going." Anuri mumbled rotating her now sore neck as she stood to as tall as she could. Which wasn't very tall if you asked her anyway.

She was at least five foot five and a half. Which was tall for most girls in the area. But some how everyone around her looked like they were a good head and shoulders taller. Oh well, being smaller meant she could hide from people behind people. Which was a good thing.

Anuri linked realizing she wasn't fifty meters from Sasuke and refrained form slapping herself in the head for being so noisy. She must be losing it, normally missions like this were boring and went nearly flawless. _'What's knocked me so off kilter to be this, clumsy on a mission!'_ Anuri thought furiously scratching behind Gumbo's ear absentmindedly.

"Sasuke-kun. Do you know what happened to that Anuri girl while you were fighting?" Anuri blinked as she crept closer to the camp. Occupied by Karin, Sasuke and a man Anuri identified as Kabuto Yakushi.

"Hn." Typical Sasuke reply.

Kabuto raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean Anuri Bakenokawa? Lord Orochimaru has been mildly interested in the Bakenokawa Clan for awhile now. Ever since Uragiru stopped by looking for his daughters." Sauske glared at Kabuto.

"Why doesn't he just go to the leaf village?"

"He's a wanted man Sasuke, in more then one country too." Kabuto explained easily. "Besides do you honestly think he would have expected a six year old to take of herself ? Especially just after her brother went MIA."

Karin laughed, "I'm surprised the whelp is still alive after fighting Sasuke-kun twice." Anuri bit her lip in response to the low blow to her pride. She wanted to hear more about her father and siblings. It's been a long time since the Akatsuki has been able to come up with anything new. Not that it surprised her really. She believed firmly that if her family didn't want to be found. They wouldn't.

"Uragiru came by a few years back, demanding information from Orochimaru about his children." Kabuto continued, watching Sasuke with hawk's eyes. "The man was irrational, but he wouldn't give up any secrets about his clan. Nothing at all, no jutsu's, nothing on how their kekkie genkai worked. Honestly it was a pity when he ran away. I would have loved the opportunity to dissect his body."

Anuri grimaced, Naruto wasn't kidding when he said the man was sick. Gumbo nuzzled her hand comfortingly. Keeping the orange hared eves dropper silent.

"Anyway, Lord Orochimaru will be expecting me back at base before midnight." Kabuto started to get up and leave but he turned back to Sasuke. "I'd be careful with those bruises if I were you Sasuke. Anuri's chakra must have been extremely dense to make you bruise up like that."

"I never said Anuri did this."

"You didn't have to." With a sick smirk Kabuto left the clearing. Anuri closed her eyes, relief washing over her. Witch shocked even herself. She didn't realize she had gotten so tense listening to their conversation. Wordlessly she tapped Gumbo on the head twice and climbed a tree silently. Without shaking the branches Anuri made her self comfortable.

This was going to be a very long night.

Anuri has been following Sasuke and Karin for the better part of a week. The fact that they moved very little during the day didn't bother Anuri so much. But the writing in the dark was extremely hard. Harder to read even with her horrible hand writing. Slowly Anuri was growing paranoid. She was sure she had slipped up enough on this mission for them to have caught her by now. But neither of them seamed to notice her presence.

"Alright I'm sick of waiting. If you're going to kill us just come out and try it!" Karin shouted in the general direction of Anuri's presence.

Red lights went off in Anuri's head and she stared down at Sasuke and Karin, wait only Karin? Crap.

"Anuri, you seamed to have recovered quicker then I thought you would." Sasuke's cold voice sounded from behind her suddenly. "But you're not here to drag me back to Konoha are you?"

"Very perceptive of you Sasuke." Anuri replied tensing her muscles for what would be the biggest jump of her life.

"Come on and play!" Karin cackled, Anuri was sure she was on crack now. So she went with it and lunged for Karin. "Oh goodie!" Karin murmured sarcastically.

Anuri twisted in the air like a cat and threw the black note book given to her by Tsunade into the bushes. Right into Gumbo's jaws. "Procedure two. Red alert, go!" Gumbo stared at her for a half second making sure the orange hared girl was serious before bounding off into the trees.

"That cat's not going anywhere."

Sasuke appeared next to Gumbo ready to lop off his head. Anuri kicked off of the tree she landed on and drew her sais. Her blades knocked Sasuke's to the side, and her body rammed into his, just barely knocking him off balance.

"No way are you going to hurt Gumbo." Anuri muttered watching the tiger disappear into the trees.

"Hn." Karin started off after the tiger and in the instant Anuri started to turn after her, sharp pain resonated form the back of her head.

"Don't bother going after the cat." Sauske's grunt was the last thing Anuri could hear before she blacked out and fell limp. Gracefully Sasuke caught her before she hit the ground and sheathed his blade.

"She going to be a present for Lord Orochimaru?"

Something dangerous flashed through Sasuke's eye as he glared at Karin. "No." Pack up, we're leaving now." Karin shot a angry glare at the limp form of Anuri but did as she was told without further argument.

"Somebody get this animal out of my office at once!"

Tsunade shouted putting a hand out to prevent Gumbo from jumping on her again. The tiger had literally jumped on top of her from the office window. Growling and making whining sounds as he did so.

"Lady Tsunade, where did the tiger come from?" Shizune asked, trying to get her arms around the animal to pull him off of Tsunade, "I mean did he just come out of nowhere?"

Gumbo bat at Tsunade's head again, trying to get her to look at the black book he had dropped on the floor by her desk. But the blond was more preoccupied with the task of getting the tiger away from her to notice.

"HEY GRANDME YOU NEVER ANSWERED MY QUESTION-" Naruto fell silent as he watched Gumbo attack Tsunade and Shizune. Sakura and Kiba ran into his back as the blond stopped in the door way.

"Hey watch it Naruto, don't make any sudden stops without warning us next time." Kiba growled rubbing his hurt nose. The Dog trainer stopped for a second to watch the scene before him, before he burst into a fit of hysterical laughter.

_'Why is Gumbo here, where's Anuri-chan?'_ Naruto thought distractedly, ignoring Tsunade's orders to get the 'stupid feline' off of her. "Hey Gumbo, where's Anuri huh?" The tiger stopped instantly and turned to look at him. Gumbo padded over to the book he dropped and nudged it over to him.

"Lady Tsunade, isn't that-" Tsunade grabbed the leather bound book off of the floor before Naruto could reach it.

"There are only a few days logged in it. Mostly about in the direction Sasuke is heading." Tsunade paused for am minute, "I think. Damn this girls hand writing. It's bad enough she's writing in code. This is atrocious, it's like she can barley write at all."

"What's wrong with Anuri-chan Tsuande?" Naruto demanded looking at Gumbo as though he could give the hyper ninja his answers. Gumbo gave him a 'What are you looking at me for?' look and bashed his head into Naruto's side, pushing him towards the door.

"It'll take me a week to figure out what she's trying to say," Tsunade sighed putting the book down and glaring at the cat. "Is this Anuri's summoning?"

"One of them." Naruto said petting Gumbo on the head. "How's Anuri?"

Tsunade glared at him. "I don't know yet, so wait a damn day or two. Her hand writing is atrocious and grammar makes it harder to understand when she uses the wrong words." Naruto grunted in displeasure but knew that nothing he said would make it go any faster for him or Tsuande.

Anuri blinked her eyes open, only half surprised with her surroundings.

A typical cell, with stone walls, chakra draining membrane and the classic iron rods on the only door window. A cheep cot was in the small room as was a toilet and a bar that hung from the ceiling. Probably to hang the prisoners from as they were tortured for information.

"Wow, this is really original." Anuri muttered rubbing the back of her throbbing head grimacing a little. Someone had changed her clothes and took her weapons. But that was to be expected. Anuri yawned lazily and laid back down on her cot, time to catch up on some sleep before someone came in and kept her from sleeping more.

"Sasuke-san, the captive has just woken up." Anuri groaned silently, she never should have even sat up.

The door swung open slowly as Anuri rolled on her side to give Sasuke her back and ignore him. The Uchiha narrowed his eyes at Anuri's relaxed form and produced a chair before sitting in it. He waited for the door to close before speaking.

"Eat."

Anuri's stomach growled reminding her that she might not have eaten in days. She frowned, stupid stomach, it needed to be quiet before it gave her intense hunger away.

Anuri rolled over and avoided looking at the tray of food sitting on the floor next to her. She gave Sasuke a dead stare, waiting for him to say some thing more human sounding to her. He returned her gave for at least an hour before she gave in.

"Is it poisoned?" Anuri sniffed the food cautiously. Only half hoping the poison would give off an odor of some sort.

"No." Sasuke gave her a look that made her smile sheepishly and take a small bite of the food. Deciding it wasn't poisoned Anuri only ate enough to quiet her stomach.

"Why did you come after me?" Sasuke asked as Anuri pushed the rest of her food away from her with a foot. She blinked and looked at him like she didn't understand. Sasuke groaned inwardly, she was claming up on him and wasn't going to tell him a damn thing.

Anuri examined Sasuke for real for the first time since she'd seen him eight years ago. He had defiantly grown in the time they were apart. His chest, well what she could see of it through his open shirt was chiseled out in what looked like very solid muscles. He was defiantly taller, and his shoulders were wider then she remembered. His jaw was more defined and his eyes despite the outward iceberg he projected held an emotion she couldn't place.

"You look good considering." Anuri trailed off chewing on the end of the plastic spoon she had eaten with.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, "Considering what?" She thought he looked good? What? Anuri didn't say things like that so bluntly.

Anuri shrugged not responding, eyes drifting up to count the stones that made up the ceiling. Sasuke crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, willing to wait this out. He remembered their conversations like this one, she would clam up for an hour at least then slowly come out and say what she wanted to say or just outright change the topic.

"You've changed, a lot." Anuri said suddenly to break the silence, gaze still locked on the ceiling. Sasuke looked at her, surprised she started to talk again so soon. "Not just physically, you have this look in your eyes, I can't tell what it is. Regret? Pain? Sadness? Loneliness? Love? It's something I don't recognize ever seeing in your eyes before. It irks me." Anuri faced him still chewing on the spoon. "Oh yeah, work on your chidori sword thing harder. It sucks."

Sasuke scowled. "I don't need to work on it. I perfected the technique."

Anuri shrugged, "Really? I think you could do a lot better then with what you have now. But that might be because it's a secret from my clan that would teach you the basics of blending chakra and metal in ways that you can only dream of." The corner of Anuri's lips tilted upwards as Sasuke's eyes blazed with injured pride and anger. Yeah she still could get his goat alright.

Suddenly he relaxed and smirked himself, "I remember you were the one who complained about the technique being to hard for you to learn in the first place. Something about not being about to control your chakra?" Anuri scowled biting her lip to prevent saying something she shouldn't.

He remembered that? Out of all of the things he could remember and all of the things he could have pointed out instead, like how bad Naruto was he just had to recall something about her? What the hell? Anuri chewed on her lip, since Sasuke had left things had fallen into a weird place. Not that she didn't mind but she wasn't used to people saying facts about her, to her or at least within ear shot. Anuri was far more used to just being forgotten.

"So how are things between you and Naruto?"

Anuri raised an eyebrow. "Fine, we see each other often, but not as often as I'd like since one of us are always on a mission at different times." Anuri let confusion and curiosity bloom inside her as Sasuke's eyes reflected that hidden emotion again. He sounded almost bitter as he asked her another question.

"So you're dating?"

Anuri's eyes flew wide open, he thought she and Naruto were an item! She smiled repressing the urg to laugh. Her shoulders shook as she fought down the sudden giggles. "No way! Gee he's like a brother to me."

Sauske felt relief wash over him as he heard that, but it was quickly replaced by raw furry as Anuri's next comment reached him.

"You kinda remind me of Itachi."

Sasuke glared heatedly at Anuri, he reminded her of _Itachi!_ He was nothing like his brother, NOTHING! "How the hell do I remind you of Itachi! I'm nothing like him!" he was murderously close enough now to Anuri's face that she could feel the heat radiating off of him.

Anuri narrowed her eyes knowing it was a low blow but needed to see his reaction.

"How am I like Itachi?" Sasuek demanded coldly, furry welling up inside of him like nothing he could remember before.

Anuri narrowed her eyes quickly going over her options, "your both cold, emoish, Sasuke you're planning on killing off the last member of your clan. Finishing what Itachi had started in the first place. What will you gain by killing him?"

"Peace of mind knowing that the man that killed my clan is dead." Sasuke growled dangerously. Before Anuri quite knew what she was doing, she was on her feet and slapping Sasuke across the face.

They stared at each other stunned. Silence passed over them for what seamed like eternity, neither of them moving or speaking to the other. Slowly Anuri turned her back on him and crawled back onto her cot. And it took even longer for her to fall into blissful dreamlessness.

Gumbo from to Konoha as swiftly as he could.

It was obvious it would take a long time for them to get their acts together and rescue Anuri from where ever it was she was taken to. The tiger sprinted up a steep hill then halfway down before stopping at a small rocky alcove. He sniffed the air and dove under a loose rock.

This was the Akatsuki base, no doubt it reeked of blood. Gumbo snarled at a member who walked to close to him and padded along silently in the hallways looking for one man in particular. The only reason why he came here and the only one who could pull his act together fast enough to satisfy Gumbo that Anuri was going to be found in a reasonable amount of time.

Itachi Uchiha.


	5. Chapter 4: Meeting Orochimaru

Chapter 4: Meeting Orochimaru

"Eat." Sasuke ordered briefly coming into the cell on the fourth day. Neither of them had spoken about their argument since it occurred.

"Not hungry Sasu." Anuri grunted, continuing her hanging curl ups from the bar on the ceiling. "You're going to spoil me with three meals a day you know."

Sasuke eyed her; they had talked more and were comfortable with each other again. Open to the point where come might have mistaken them as lovers. The once crippled bond between them was being reformed, and stronger than before. Sasuek couldn't help but wonder how they were becoming so close again so fast. But it was not something he was overly worried about either. It was nice to be able to talk to her again, he wasn't able to open up to anyone else while he was with Orochimaru. It was nice being able to talk to someone else again. Without realizing it, Sasuke had missed Anuri's company when they were apart.

"You should have enough money to pay for food, surely you've paid off the debts on your house by now." Sasuke said, standing next to her cot watching her exercise. Nearly every time he came in here Anuri was either sleeping or working out.

Anuri sighed and dropped to the floor next to Sasuke, "Curse you for being so bloody tall Sasuke." Anrui growled playfully, she had to look up to him, only coming up to the middle of his chest, Sasuke was a good foot and some inches taller than her. She peered up at him curiously, "I'll tell you why I'm having money problems, if, "she held up one finger, "you let me get out of this cell to take a bath cause I know I reek." Anuri wrinkled her nose for added effect.

Sasuke raised an eye brow but nodded, a smirk pulling at his lips. "I'll get Karin to get some clean clothes for you."

Anuri nodded and followed Sasuke out of the cell, he stopped once to tell Karin what to do and collect soap and shampoo before leading her out of the base. Anuri narrowed her eyes against the harsh rays of the sun as Sasuke lead her to a small lake not far from the base.

"Plumbing's broken." Sasuke muttered tossing Anuri the soap and shampoo. Anuri nodded just glad she could finally wash the dirt and grime off of her skin and out of her hair.

Turning her back to him she started to strip, Sasuke turned his head to the side in slight embarrassment. Any other prisoner would have asked that he turn away, but Anuri simply turned her back to him and stripped. He turned back to face the lake, hearing the splash of Anuri hoping into the lake.

Anuri ducked under the water, wetting her hair. She started to lather her hair, humming a little to herself. From the corner of her eye she could see the barest trace of white and black fur. Gumbo. She kept her surprise to herself and ignored Sasuke's gaze on her.

"So why do you still have money trouble if you should have paid off the dept on your house?" Sasuke asked, watching Anuri with an intensity that made Anuri a little nervous.

She lathered her hair, "Because there are other kinds of debt. Apparently there were a couple of families in dept when they were murdered. Several gambling debts with interest rates that have been growing, and a couple of hospital bills and such. When the third Hokage was in charge, he froze the debts and took some of my pay working at Ichiraku to cover them. Then when Tsunade took over, well the debts were unfrozen and she started taking more than half of my checks to try and cover it. So, I took more and more missions trying to keep on top of it. And sadly, I haven't quite caught up with it yet."

Sasuke stared at her, "And you're letting Tsunade do this to you?"

Anuri rolled her eyes, "Like I have any other choice. If I try to stand up to her again she'll probably just take my whole pay check so I have to borrow from other people. Or maybe I'll just get stuff out of the woods." She paused obviously starting to consider the option.

"Or you could come with me."

Anuri stopped, breaking the surface of the water to rinse her hair and stared at him. She stared at him like he had started singing Poker Face and danced a funny jig. Then she closed her eyes realizing he was dead serious. "No."

"Anuri-"

"I can't. Sasuke, you know I won't move, I know my brother is still alive. And I know that my sisters are still alive. If there is any chance that they might come home, I want to be there. That's why I've refused to sell my compound, and try to pay off the debts that way." Anuri scoffed, "And I wouldn't leave Kahona to join Orochimaru, he wants me to experiment on me. He's curious as to my kekkai genkai, and I wouldn't sell him the information."

Sasuke frowned, "Anuri, you are better than Kahona, they turned on your clan."

"No, my clan turned on the village. They fought back." Anuri started to lather soap on her skin, turning away from Sasuke, "Sasuke, the village still wants you back."

Sasuke grunted, ignoring the comment. Instead he focused on what she had said, "How do you know what Orochimaru's plans are? Or about your family, I haven't heard anything about your siblings." He narrowed his eyes, "Actually Kabuto has been trying to find out if they are even alive anymore."

Anuri shrugged carelessly, "I have my sources."

Sasuke took the answer, not doubting for a second that Anuri would have contacts all over the world. He turned to glare at the slow moving figure of Karin. He turned his back on her, the feeling of being watched prickling at the back of his mind.

"Hurry up Anuri." She looked at him curiously and turned her back to him, finishing up her bath without another word.

Karin strode into the clearing, clutching Anuri's change of clothes, looking a little stressed. She stopped next to Sasuke, "Sasuke, Kabuto swung back to check up on one of the experiments he had forgotten to check up on. He knows about the Bakenokawa girl. And he's already sent a message to Lord Orochimaru. He's going to be expecting her to be brought to him."

Sasuke's face turned stony, and he turned his gaze back to Anuri. "Anuri, hurry up and get dressed." He turned his head again as Karin tossed the clothes to the edge of the water and watched her dress.

Itachi watched Anuri turn her back to him, dressing and following Sasuke silently.

Gumbo growled next to him, ready to race to the side of his friend. Itachi put his hand on Gumbo's head and faded back into the cover of the trees. Itachi tied a small red ribbon to a kunie, and threw it carefully. It hit the tree directly next to Anuri's head.

She turned her head quickly, jumping a little. But Itachi could tell she was faking the surprise and confusion. Then her head whipped around and her eyes locked on Itachi instantly. She nodded bit her lip a little, signaling Itachi she knew he was there. He nodded to himself and turned his gaze to Sasuke. The younger Uchiha had gripped his sword and was looking directly at Itachi, almost as though he could see his older brother.

Itachi left his position and started to head for the base, getting in and hiding himself in Anuri's cell would be interesting. He used a careful jutsu and fled into her room. Hiding himself carefully, he settled down to wait.

He didn't have to wait long before Anuri entered the cell, looking behind her interested in the voices in the hall. When they had faded she smiled a little and sat down, relaxing on her bed. "Hullo."

Itachi smirked, "You're good. How did you get caught?" He had trained Anuri, without Kakashi's knowledge and helped her control her fire jutsu's. He grudgingly admitted to himself that she though she took a little longer learn then he would have liked. Once she got the grasp of it her performance skyrocketed.

Anuri shrugged, "Careless I guess." She caught his eye and her smile widened, "I can get careless."

"You wanted to get captured."

Anuri shrugged, "So? Maybe I wanted to talk to Uchiha. Is there something wrong with trying to talk some sense into a friend?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes, "Why send Gumbo after me?"

Anuri sat up, looking at him curiously, "I didn't. I sent him back to Kahona. I was on a mission, and I information I gathered needed to go back to the village." She raised an eyebrow, "Have you come because of that or do you want an update?"

Itachi waved his hand in the air, "Later, when you're not in captivity. When do you want to get out?"

Anuri shrugged, "When I get my questions answered of course. Are you offering to help me escape?" Inwardly Anuri grinned, everyone believed Itachi to be a cold hard bastard. But he wasn't so bad, really kind of a softy if you could get him to open up a little. But that was the problem, he kept everyone at an arms distance. Anuri supposed that those who were alone always had a way of finding each other in some way.

Itachi's thinning mouth answered her question, "Alright, I'll signal you when I want you to get me out." He nodded and Anuri watched curiously as he just faded away. "He better tell me how to do that one day."

She thought over Itachi's visit, and Kabuto's. She knew she was going to be moved to Orochimaru's main base, or at least the one he was inhabiting at the moment. And she knew he was interested in her family's blood line. Maybe just maybe she could have a chance to ask him the whereabouts of her father. He had gone to Orochimaru looking for information, so maybe the Sannin had kept tabs on him.

"Anuri, we're leaving." Sasuke's voice reached her through the stone wall. She wondered if he had her things, but only briefly as he and Kabuto entered the room. Kabuto holding an assortment of chains in his hands, eyes looking malicious. But Sasuke's looked a little guilty and a bit regretful.

"Sasuke bring Anuri to me."

Sasuke nodded automatically to Orochimaru and headed off for the prison block. Instead of seeing to her immediately, Orochimaru had her put her down in the cellar, among the other people Orochimaru kept around. Their rooms were simply iron bars, individual cells that simply put some space between the prisoners.

He spotted Anuri, standing at the door of her cell and touching the bars gently, wincing a little as chakra forcefully shocked her and forced its way into her body. She grimaced and forced it back out. She caught sight of Sasuke, and ignoring the cat calls from the prisoner next to her, addressed him with familiarity that made others around her nervous.

"Hello Sasuke, good job with these bars. They would be a challenge if I wanted to get out bad enough." She looked at him, "Do you need something?"

Sasuke pulled the seal off of the lock on her door. He opened the door and grabbed her arm in a firm grip, but it didn't hurt her. She followed his lead silently and without fighting him. Only when they were alone in a hallway leading to Orochimaru he talked to her. "He wants to talk to you. Anuri don't give him anything he wants from you."

"I don't plan on it."

He glanced at her, and saw the cool smooth expression on her face. Her eyes dull almost dead without the usual emotion that flooded in them. Her pale face only helped to give her a haunted gaunt look. She was as thin as a rail and looked the part of a prisoner who had been kept in the darkest cellar for a long time. He nodded, believing she could handle herself when talking to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru's yellow gaze followed Anuri from the second she entered the room. She let Sasuke guide her to a point in front of Orochimaru before leaving her there and walking to sit next to Orochimaru. She looked around the room as though she was on vacation, and was sightseeing.

"Bakenokawa Anuri, you have such an extraordinary blood line you know." She continued looking around the room.

"Ah, but that's only what people think who don't have it you know." Her short reply reached him, voice a little dead, a little amused.

Furry welled up in Orochimaru, the girl was treating him as though he was part of a wall. Finally her dead gaze locked with his and for a moment he was unsure of what to do. But when she broke the connection the feeling left. "Are you still searching for your father?"

"I know he's come here looking for information on my siblings and I." Anuri said curtly, seating herself on the floor. Inside she was strangely calm, like she was talking to a smart ass chunin who thought he could control her. Not that she was talking to one of the most powerful ninja's known in the world.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, wondering briefly how she knew that. "I wonder, do you want to know where your father is?"

Anuri's cool composure broke, eyes flashing with excitement and perhaps anger. Light color flooded her cheeks and Sasuke blinked, amazed how quickly she changed from the dead girl to a quick tempered ninja with a dangerous ability to pass under the radar of nearly everyone.

Orochimaru smirked, "I kept tabs on him, hoping he would lead me to your brother and sisters. But alas he has not. I can tell you where he is though, in exchange for something."

"For what exactly?" Anuri asked, her voice a little livelier than before. Sasuke watched her reaction, trying to figure out if it was an act or she had really jumped at the possible information on her father.

"I want some of your blood."

"No."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes angrily, "Then I will arrange to have him killed."

Anuri narrowed her eyes, "You wouldn't dare do that. Because you know I can outrun your ninja. I can go into hiding easily and never be heard of again. Then you will never have another chance to finding out about my bloodline." Sasuke raised his eye brows, Anuri's face was calm, her voice neutral, but it was only her eyes that betrayed the anger and reckless courage that had saved her life over and over again.

Orochimaru hissed dangerously, he knew she was right and had nothing else to hold leverage over her. She was bound to nothing and looked as though she could care less as to what happened around her. "What do you suggest then? What are you willing to give me in exchange for the information?"

Anuri looked at him for a long moment, then her gaze turned to Sasuke for a minute. "I can teach Sasuke how to use his sword, with his chakra. Like I can."

Orochimaru smiled savagely, it was an opportunity to study some of the special jutsus, and abilities of the Bakenokawa clan. And if she spilled blood in training he could collect samples. He paused in his thought process, the gears in his head turning in a different direction. She had looked to Sasuke, and was easily lead by him into the room. Where as when Kabuto had lead her to her cell, she looked grudgingly annoyed and irritated Kabuto to no end with the small trips and catastrophes she caused. Maybe she still felt something for his apprentice. Maybe he could turn this to his favor and take advantage of it somehow.

"Deal, Sasuke Anuri is moving into your room. You train with her from now on and are responsible for her." Orochimaru hissed, eyes on Anuri, watching for some reaction. Nothing came, like she hadn't heard him at all. "You can go."

Sasuke nodded rather coldly, a distracted look in his eye as he grabbed Anuri by the arm and pulled her along to his room. Kabuto turned to Orochimaru, "Are you sure this is wise?"

Orochimaru nodded his head, "We will get her blood yet Kabuto, and Sasuke will learn new techniques as well."

Sasuke tugged Anuri along the hallway, inwardly angry and perhaps a little scared. Once he was in the privacy of his own room he turned on Anuri. "I thought you said you could handle Orochimaru."

"I did. He did what I wanted him to." Anuri said calmly, looking around his room, "Kind of bleak you know."

Sasuke growled, "Anuri, he's not going to let you off the hook that easily just by teaching me a few tricks."

She shot him a dark look, one that he'd only seen once before. Then it occurred to Sasuke that he had called her clan's fighting style a trick, demeaning to a skilled swordsman. "They aren't tricks Sasuke,"

He hurried to cut her off, last time he had let her go on and on for at least an hour. "I know, I know but Orochimaru thinks that he'll be able to copy it just by watching."

"If he thinks it'll be that easy, I'll make sure it looks harder than it really is." Anuri grumbled, then her stomach growled loudly an she stared down at it with an eye brow raised, "Well, I've been betrayed by my own stomach."

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk a little at Anuri. "Do you know what you're doing?" She nodded and he groaned silently, knowing that she would have said that weather or not she really knew what she was doing. "Alright, you stay here. I'll get some food."

Anuri shrugged, moving to the window to peer out of it a little curious. She wanted to know where she was, how long it might take her to get back to Kahona when the time was right. She studied the surroundings and gained nothing. Just trees and dirt. A few boulders here or there but that described many forest areas in the land of fire and several other areas just around of it. And there were no landmarks that would help narrow down her location.

Anuri started looking around the room again, several swords, kunies, shuriken and an assortment of weapons were scattered around the room and on the walls. She picked one up absentmindedly and tested the sharpness of it. Finding it blunt she frowned and looked around for a sharpening stone.

"Doesn't even keep his weapons sharp." Anuri muttered a little disappointedly. She started to sharpen the short sword, the rhythmic motion calming her, as she started to think about the change in her own attitude when Sasuke was around. She realized she was a little more open and perhaps in little more cheerful mood.

Briefly she wondered if it was because their friendship had been reformed, and perhaps a little stronger than it had been. The thought caused a slight change in pressure and rhythm of the stone scrapping against the blade.

Anuri was saved the trouble of thinking more about it, because Sasuke had come back into the room with dinner. She smiled a little at him, "You need to keep your weapons sharp." Sasuke grunted and passed her a plate of food. "What put you in a sour mood?"

Sasuke gave her a dark look that softened, "Karin ambushed me on the way to the kitchen. Said some things I didn't like."

"Don't let her get to you. I think she's on crack." Anuri said simply making, Sasuke smirk in amusement. "What did she say?"

Sasuke mumbled something unintelligible. Anuri let it drop hungrily munching on the plate of food Sasuke had brought her. She only ate half, earning disapproving glance from Sasuke who didn't try to make her eat more. An hour later she was sitting rather bored on Sasuke's bed, he was using her lap for a pillow staring up at the ceiling.

"Anuri," Sasuke started slowly, voice unsure. "What has been going on in Kahona?"

Anuri was surprised by the question but thought about the answer before answering the question. "Well, Naruto has finally moved on, well he's got a crush on Hinata now. You know she's had a crush on him since the academy… " and she went on Anuri tried to fill him in on the comings and goings of his old friends. She said more about the changes to the village itself and a few rumors and little facts about the politics going on.

"And what about you?" Sasuke asked, looking at her now.

"I haven't changed, still don't eat enough, train maybe a little obsessively." Anuri started to think on her own changes, "I'm a jounin now, and I've really gotten better with my fire jutsu's and chakra control." Unsure of what to say, she didn't have people asking about herself. "Erm, I've taught myself how to forge my own swords now. They aren't as good as my families, you know because they were trained and stuff. And I have two students, who are more of a mission then the teaching thing Kakashi gets paid to do. But other than that, What's going on with you?" She didn't breath a word about her relationship about the Akatsuki, didn't dare to with Sasuke's bad relationship with his brother.

Sasuke didn't answer right away, "I've gained more power, and I know what Orochimaru really means to do with me. Trained a lot and fought off Karin's pathetic advances. Nothing really worth mentioning." Anuri nodded, knowing that it was difficult to come up with information on yourself when asked the question rather out of the blue.

But she could see a sense of tired loneliness in his eyes. Before she quite knew what she was saying Anuri said, "You know Sasuke, that if you ever need to escape this, for whatever amount of time. You can stay at my house." She stared at her and she felt rather foolish.

He said nothing for the longest time before, "I'll think about taking you up on that offer."

"You expect me to teach him how to fight with a wooden practice sword?"

Anuri asked mildly annoyed, "Fine, fine, all we'll get done is the motions." She turned her back to Kabuto who was watching the training intently.

"Lord Orochimaru is not a fool. Once you have a weapon you will try to escape."

Anuri refrained from rolling her eyes, "I want information on my father. I'm not about to run away now." Kabuto gave her a long scathing look and ignored her.

She turned to Sasuke who was looking angrily at the wooden sword, like it had done something that insulted him. He shrugged and Anuri took up a ready stance. "Alright, brace yourself and watch what I do. I'm going to do it slower then I normally do so you can keep up with your Sharingon."

Sasuke nodded and did as he was told, Anuri ran at him, a straight forward attack. He watched carefully as Anuri summoned her chakra and watched carefully as it covered the blade. The within the instant he blinked Anuri had sped up and he found her nearly on top of him, the chakra on her sword vanished as she brought it down in a powerful blow. Sasuke brought his own weapon up and blocked hers with little difficulty.

"Right, now you wouldn't have called back your chakra I hope." Anuri said calmly, "And if I was using a metal blade," she glanced at Kabuto, "then you would have seen how to merge your chakra with the metal and not how to cover it."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "And if you haven't taken back your chakra?"

For an answer her weapon was covered with her chakra and she swung it at a practice dummy. It didn't do a thing, until it gave a small boom and slid apart, cut in have. "I was aiming for a clean cut but I didn't hold the chakra properly hence the small boom."

Kabuto was looking a bit unsettled, he had never seen chakra use in its purest form like that before. Similar techniques existed of course, but none on this scale. He had the distinct feeling that Anuri was moving slow enough for Sasuke but fast enough he couldn't watch every movement at once. He scowled and watched irritated as Anuri had Sasuke repeat her motions in slow motion. Only her physical actions not the ones that involved chakra.

Sasuke was surprised how much exertion it actually took to hold the blade just right, know how much chakra to put over the blade without breaking it. She had him go through several different exercises, each one pushing different muscles to their fullest extent so they would be able to handle the exertion of using her sword techniques.

Anuri was a surprisingly patient teacher, murmuring words of advice and saying nothing when he did something obviously wrong. And to Sasuke's surprise he wasn't getting extremely furious with himself for not learning this quickly like he normally would have. He suspected a little that it was because it was Anuri teaching him, not the bad tempered Orochimaru, and he didn't feel his burning drive to gain power when he was around Anuri.

Kabuto stayed through the whole lesson, watching intently as Sasuke started to mold his chakra over his sword. But Anuri stopped him, saying it was enough for the day. Kabuto scowled, she didn't want anyone but Sasuke to know her clan's secrets. And Anuri was being very careful with the information she was showing Sasuke and Kabuto. Everything about her suggested cool calculation, almost everything. When she looked at Sasuke, Kabuto could swear that she cared for him. But not always, sometimes it looked as though she could care less. Orochimaru would want to hear about this.

Anuri sighed heavily.

She'd just finished sharpening all of Sasuke's weapons to razor fine edges and had even repaired some of them. But now it seemed there was nothing left to do. So she sprawled out on his bed as if it were her own and simply lay there inhaling his sent. It was dark and masculine, with something almost spicy but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She smiled a little thinking about what Sakura might have done in his room alone when she was twelve.

Anuri closed her eyes, activating her jutsu and fell into a meditative state. Red flickers of flames sprung up around her. She knew who they were but ignored the ones twenty or forty yards away. Itachi and Sasuke were not who she was looking to check up on now anyway. Instead she focused on the different flames: Gaara, an old friend in the stone village, Jiraya, Kakashi, and then Naruto. All other unexplored flames dimmed as Anuri focused solely on Naruto. None of them knew she was able to track them so easily like this. She didn't want anyone besides herself to know anyway. Anuri focused harder on Naruto until she could see him talking to an invisible person. It was like looking through a misted window. One could see the other side, but it was sometimes unclear.

Naruto looked almost ready to leap at someone's throat. Anuri could vaguely see the tinge of red in Naruto's normally bright blue eyes. By the way he was carrying on Anuri assumed he had made a full recovery. He slammed his fist down on what Anuri assumed to be an invisible table or desk or some sort, and her heart went out to him. She hoped that he wasn't arguing because of her extended absence. Gumbo surely warned Tsunade by now of her situation. She hoped he wasn't trying to organize a search party for her.

Then Kakashi joined the picture and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. He was talking out loud but Anuri didn't know what he was saying. It was incredibly frustrating to see what was going on like this, Anuri wished she was more experienced using her jutsu to this degree. She almost wished she could practice it now and try to open the misted window so she could hear what was said but not be seen. But if she pushed the jutsu to far, she would become a reflection to those she was watching. And they could see her; the image she would project could interact with the people, but could not physically be there. Something that she never wanted Tsunade to know she could do.

Then she stopped the jutsu abruptly and opened her eyes to find Sauske watching her curiously. Black eyes betraying the curiosity, that was absent on his impassive face. Anuri sat up blinking lazily like a cat at him.

"What language were you speaking in?" Sasuke asked, he had entered his room expecting to find Anuri sleeping, sharpening a weapon, or exercising in some way out of sheer boredom. What he didn't expect to find was Anuri sprawled out on his bed in a meditative state softly talking under her breath in a different language.

Anuri blinked again, "I was talking?"

"Hai." Sasuke wasn't in the mood for games. Karin was following him here probably right now. He didn't understand why she thought that she wanted to be the bearer of his children and rector his clan with him.

"I wasn't aware I was talking in another language, it was probably my families if anything."

"Nani?"

Anuri chuckled, "Maybe I'll tell you later." She paused looked towards his door. "Are expecting Karin? I mean if you want some private time with her I could-" She broke off when Sasuke grabbed her around the middle and pushed her up against the far wall. "Sasu-"

"Will you do me a favor?" he asked hurredly, eyes locking on hers. She nodded confused but evidently sensed the urgency in his actions. "Good, now play along." He wedged his knee between her legs and spread them.

Before Anuri could ask for an explanation, despite the fact that she trusted this man with her life his lips descended upon hers in a rough kiss. He grasped her hips to lift her body up so she didn't have to force her head back at an awkward angle while they kissed. When their hips were level Sasuke pulled her legs around his waist and held them there until she got the idea and wrapped them securely around him to support herself.

She wrapped her arms around his neck for more support and broke the kiss to give Sasuke a '_What the hell are you doing?_' look. "Karin won't get off my back. I'll figure she'll stop pestering me to make her the mother of my children if she thinks I'm fucking you instead."

"Oh," Anuri muttered it made some sense, but it was a guy's logic; was it supposed to make sense?

Either way it didn't matter what Anuri was going to say next because Sasuke's lips were upon hers again. His tongue plundered her mouth dominantly, coaxing Anuri into a losing battle against him. She dug her fingers into his hair and tugged lightly, trying to tell him he was going to need more to fool Karin. Sasuke broke the kiss and trailed open mouthed kisses along her jawline. She tilted her head back to give him more room. Sasuke reached her earlobe and flicked an earring with his tongue.

"Do you trust me?"

"With my life." Anuri breathed, taking in a sharp breath when one of his hands slid up under her shirt. He pinched the skin over her ribs. She got the message, it didn't mean anything. It was like a mission. Anuri moaned pleasurably, as if Sasuke really was fondling her breasts pleasurably. She arched her bac, pushing her chest against his, eyes sliding closed slowly. The door opened a crack, just enough to go almost unnoticed.

Sasuke bit her neck roughly making Anuri gasp and squirm in shock. He knew Karin was watching now too. Anuri let a small moan escape her, wondering if the way he was kissing her neck should be sending small ripples of pleasure through her system. Meaning to stop him before she read more into this then there was, Anuri tugged his head back up to hers, where their lips collided almost violently. Sasuke swallowed her moan and tweaked her nipple through her bra experimentally. She didn't have to fake her moan this time as small shocks of pleasure raced through her system an coiled in her belly.

The door opened a little wider.

Anuri slid one hand from Sasuke's hair and pulled open his shirt. Exposing the wide expanse of muscle she ran her fingers down his chest, almost purring feeling the rock solid muscles leap and twitch under her cold fingers. Sasuke tweaked her nipple again in retaliation, repressing the shudder that threatened to shake his body as a reaction to Anuri's cold fingers. She moaned again and squirmed against him, back arching once more. He broke the kiss breathing hard and pulled Anuri's shirt off over her head, and shrugged out of his own.

Why wasn't Karin leaving? What was missing- oh.

Anuri let her hand slide between their bodies and got two fingers into his waist band, tugging him closer. When her lips where close enough to his ear Anuri hissed at Sasuke, as he suckled her neck.

"You have to moan too."

He bit her, earning another gasp of pleasure and a sharp tug at his hair. In retaliation Anuri undid Sasuke's belt and forced his pants down until she had her hand in his boxers. She left her hand at the top of Sasuke's pelvic bone and decided this was taking too long.

"Quit teasing Sasu-kun!" Anuri moaned, letting her head fall back against the wall.

Sasuke's whole body almost froze when Anuri got her hand into his boxers. It took all of his self control not to stop what he was doing and slid a hand under her butt to support more of her weight. He grit his teeth as Anuri arched her back, hips thrusting against his. If she kept doing that he was going to end up with a very real erection, and Sasuke wasn't sure if they would be acting by that time. He undid her own pants and tugged them down a little farther until they were sliding off of her hips and dropped his head to kiss her collar bone.

Anuri kissed the hollow behind his ear and hissed at him again, "Moan idiot, she's not going to leave until you do."

Her hips thrust against his again; did she know what she was doing to him? "Anuri." Sasuke's strangled groan filled the room, making her smile against the skin of his neck.

The door opened an inch wider, and Anuri laid her head against the wall. Sasuke took the opportunity to lick and kiss her collar bone and as far down as her bra would let him as revenge. Anuri's gaze met Karin's shocked one, and Anuri threw up the perfect mask of someone caught doing something they really shouldn't have.

"Sasuke!" Her voice was higher pitched than normal, in the perfect imitation of fear making Sasuke stop and turn his head enough to see Karin staring at him.

"What do you want?" Sasuke snarled nastily, like someone interrupted in the middle of something very important by an idiot. He decided to twist the knife of their lie deeper by twisting just enough so that Karin could clearly see his pants undone and Anuri's hand in his boxers. She had pushed her fingers out as he twisted so it looked as though he had a very large erection pressing into her hand.

Karin looked more nervous and angry then anything but cowed by Sasuke's murderous gaze murmured a small "Nothing" and snapped the door closed behind her. Her foot steps could be heard running down the hall as fast as she could away from Sasuke's room.

Anuri chuckled amusedly as she removed her hand from Sasuke's boxers and re-did his belts and pants for him. "How long has she been after you?"

Sasuke grimaced and put Anuri down, picking up her shirt and handing it to her as she fixed her own pants. "Four years now I think." She slipped her shirt back on still chuckling.

"You're afraid she'll drug you."

"No, I'm afraid she'll rape me."

Anuri's chuckling almost turned into a fit of giggles, "Then what?"

Sasuke loked seriously at her, "She's going to try and get rid of you now. She's not exactly the type to just give up. But she'll stop for a week or so now." He glared at her smile; how can she be smiling?

"Have you ever considered telling her to piss off? And then get yourself a real girlfriend?" Anuri asked then switched the topic looking out of the window. "How long have I been here?"

"Close to two weeks."

Anuri nodded, eyes holding a faraway look in them as she gazed out of the window. "I'm going to be leaving soon Sasu-kun." Sasuke stared at the back of her head incredulously. "Very soon I think. Orochimaru doesn't know anything about my father or where he is, and I'm wasting time here. By now my lead on my brother will have gone cold."

It didn't surprise Sasuke to learn that Anuri had other contacts. She was very resourceful when it came to getting what she wanted. And because she never seemed to want much, it made her that more dangerous when it came to standing between her and her goal. But the idea of her leaving made Sasuke angry, mind jumping to the conclusion that she wanted to be back in the leaf village more then she wanted to be with him. That she wanted to be with Naruto instead of him. That she might have lied when she said there was nothing but friendship between her and Naruto.

"How do you plan on leaving?" Sasuke asked, forcing himself to cool off and take a breath. Anuri had no reason to lie to him, and has shown no proof of lying so far, he should jump to conclusions.

Anuri half smiled, "No idea yet. But I'll come up with something. You'll see."


	6. Chapter 5: Nightmares

Chapter 5: Nightmares

"What the bloody hell is going on!" Sasuke demanded fiercely, the whole building was shook as another explosion rocked the ceiling. He grabbed Karin's arm to get her attention. "What's happening?"

"A member of the Akatsuki, Deidara, is bombing the building looking for the Bakenokawa girl. Apparently they are looking to recruit her into their organization." Kari gave him a thoughtful look, "That and she's making a run for it. Even managed to get her stuff back- hey!"

Sasuke shoved Karin away from himself and took off down the hallway to his room. He slammed the door open, she wasn't there. She had been serious about leaving! And the Akatsuki were looking for her too! He turned on his heal and sprinted down the hallway towards the spare room where Anuri's things had been kept from her. The door was off its hinges and the room empty, besides an pair of his shorts Sasuke knew Anuri had been wearing earlier due to the lack of her own clean clothes to wear. Sasuke decided she had changed into her own clothes on her way out. Kabuto ran into the room behind Sasuke and shouted at him over the roar of another explosion. "Take a squad of ninja and chase Deidara away from here! Another squad has been sent after Bakenokawa already."

Sauske glared at Kabuto, he probably sent the elite trackers after Anuri. And she had been bugged already upon entering Orochimaru's lair, they would be able to track her until she discovered the trace or until she died.

Sasuke winced at the unpleasant thought and pushed past Kabuto on his way out of the door. Anuri wouldn't let herself be captured or killed easily. The ninja following her would be in for their money's worth. But if they caught her.

Sasuke pushed the unwelcome thought to the side, Anuri wouldn't get caught. She was to good for that.

But, why was he worrying then?

Anuri breathed heavily as she ran.

She ran hard, breath coming in ragged gasps, Anuri had run for two days without stopping now. And somehow she couldn't get a far enough lead to shake her pursuers. No one had beenable to track her like this before. Not so accurately. Anuri grudgingly admitted she was getting sloppy but had no time to rest up so she could lose the shinobi. She could feel her lunges burn in protest with every breath.

'Why are they so persistant?' Anuri thought glumly, setting off a wide array of explosives hoping to slow the sound shinobi's progress a little."Shit!" Anuri cursed, swerving to the left toavoid collision with a shinobi who dropped from the trees directly in front of drew her sais and deflected the kunie thrown at her and pushed her body to keep running forward.

The shinobi managed to keep pace with her, even as she ran from shadow to shadow, and threw an assortment of weapons after her. Many exploding as they hit the trees just beyondher head or where she had been not a second before. Anuri slowed her pace abruptly and side tackled the shinobi as he reached her side. Before he could even register the pain or shock of Anuri's tackle, the flat blade of her sai slid between his ribs easily and punctured his heart.

Anuri sighed as his body fell to the ground, and more shinobi took his place in the trees around her. "Will they ever learn, or at least get tired?"

"Alright! You have her report?"

Naruto asked happily in Tsunade's office, eyes bright with excitement. Finally he was going to be able to help Anuri wherever she was. Tsunade held out the report and glanced over it.

"Well it's the best we have. Anuri's handwriting and grammar are atrocious, and sometimes she uses the wrong words. That's what makes this so hard, that and she wrote in code on top of that. Sometimes I wonder if she even knows how to read and write sometimes."

"Tell us what she says!" Naruto demanded, did they even have time for this?

"A lot of statistics on Uchiha Sasuke; that was her mission to gather information on him. Most of it is what she could tell of his healing rates and stamina and such. She was watching him while they were traveling. She's noted the direction they were traveling in and something about his partner Karin. Anuri says that she seems to be more of a nuisance to Sasuke then a partner." Tsunade glared at the paper, "Some gibberish about Kabuto and visors. Shizune is this right?" Tsunade waved the paper at her.

"That's the best the decoders could do."Tsunade growled, "I'm going to give this girl a literacy test one of these days. Anyway, maybe something about visiting instead of visors, that would make more sense. I don't know, Anuri is careful to write down landmarks and her location though. But then goes on about ramen ranges in Suna. Maybe she's talking about the cliff ranges on Suna's eastern border, if she's talking about Suna at all. She suspects that Sasuke knows she's following him but he'd made no move towards her so far. Then things get interesting when they enter the cloud country. Anuri fills in a normal entry, and then there are chakra burns on the sides of the pages and on the back of the book." Tsunade showed Naruto the burn marks in the back of the book, "'Sasuke attack and chapter. Gumbo red alert.' Then exact location."

"So the bastard ambushed Anuri and captured her?" Naruto demanded hotly.

"It appears that way." Tsunade rubbed her temples. "She could be in Orochimaru's hands by now. For all we know he could have extracted information about from her already. She knows the exact layout of Kahona by heart and a lot on the current governmental issues. You need to find her and bring her back as fast as possible. That kind of information can lead to Kahona's destruction is Orochimaru used it to its fullest extent."

"Kakashi's already sent out his ninja dogs to the place Anuri last mentions and they're picking up the scent." Shizune threw in.

"Right, Naruto, Sakura, and Kiba you are going to retrieve Anuri. You need to go now. Here are the latest locations discovered by Kakashi's dogs. Akamaru can pick things up from there." Tsunade said handing Kiba a scroll. "Leave as soon as possible!"

"Hai!"The trio was ready and out of the village within the hour. Naruto leading the way with Sakura shouting after him to slow down, they reached the last place Anuri had known to have been in two days. A day later Akamaru and Kiba picked up Anuri's scent on the wind and changed direction completely.

"She must be running from something. Her path is erratic. I wonder if she even knows where she is. "Kiba mused out loud before saying. "We're close but there's going to be a bad storm tonight. We should stop soon and set up camp before we get caught up in it."Naruto grunted in acknowledgement, "Well then pick up the pace Kiba. We need to find her before the storm hits if we're close enough."

'Otherwise if someone is chasing her, they'll be closer and find her first.'

Anuri ducked under tree roots and burrowed into the hollow hidden there.

Rain thundered down around her in great sheets, soaking her to the bone. Anuri had just managed to lose her pursuers long enough to find the hollow and take refuge under the great tree. The steady thrum of rain ran in her ears as she shivered violently, curling up into a small ball. She watched the lighting and heard the thunder. Then she couldn't see what was in front of her clearly, everything was blurred. Terror coiled in her belly as the image of the trees hollow gave way to her own living room and back again. Exhaustion and fatigue making the images worse, Anuri sank as far back into the hollow as she could go. The nightmare that plagued her ran rampant in her mind, replaying the scene she had hated and feared for the greater part of her life. It wasn't necessarily a horrible gory memory that she was forced to relive over and over again. But it was one that always haunted the back of her mind. And reminded her exactly of the moment when she had become truly alone.

Lighting flashed over head illuminating her figure, a small woman, almost childlike, curled in a ball under a tree. And over the roar of thunder she screamed.

"We have to stop Naruto!"

Kiba shouted over the heavy torrents of rain. He grabbed Naruto's arm to stop him before the blond ninja could get to far ahead again. "There's no way we can find her in this weather. Let's stop for now, at least until the weather clears."

"Come on Naruto I'm soaked," Sakura pleaded putting her hand on his shoulder.

Naruto turned on them desperate, "We have to find her now! She's terrified of thunder storms!" Sakura gave him a look of disbelief as a high pitched terrified scream rang out over the sound of thunder. Naruto made a panicked noise and wrenched himself free of his teammate's grasp. He sprinted off in the direction of the scream without another second's hesitation.

"Anuri-chan!" He was sure the scream came from here, Naruto stood amidst a cluster of old and towering trees. Their roots covered the ground like masses of solitary snakes. They made the ground uneven and with the rain dangerous to walk on for fear of slipping and falling. To his left Naruto could make out the barest of whimpers and small shrieks, the sounds of a terrified child. "Anuri-chan!"

"Naruto!"

Sakura was yelling at him, spotting him blunder towards the trunk of one of the taller trees. Kiba put an hand on her arm as she made to go after him. "She's in there, and we have company. She was being tracked and if it is her that's screaming. She's drawn the attention of those tracking her." He looked up and squinted against the rain, trying to see the shinobi before they could see him.

"Anuri-chan." Naruto called tentatively. Crawling into a small hollow under the tree. He could see the bundle of clothes and the mop of fiery orange hair was unmistakable against the dark wood of the tree. But even though he wanted to pull her into his arms he knew better then to do so. She was shaking, eyes wide and unseeing as they glanced in his direction. Reacting to the sound of her name. Naruto winced as he moved to avoid a punch that was thrown at him, and hit his head hard against the low ceiling.

"Where's nii-chan?" Anuri whispered voice hoarse. She asked the question almost as though she was purposely trying to keep Naruto from calling out to her again.

Naruto drew close enough to Anuri to pry the sais away from her reach in case she became violent again. Then he pulled her into his arms and grimaced as her scream of terror rang out over the crash of thunder. "Anuri-chan, it's a nightmare. It's not real, you don't need to live through this again."

"Nii-chan, where's nii-chan!" Anuri's voice raised in pitch as she struggled to escape from Naruto's grasp.

Naruto stared at his friend sadly, this happened nearly every time there was a thunder storm. Although it hadn't been this bad in years. She had gotten progressively better as time wore on, but maybe that was because she came to him before the storm started and he kept her calm from the start or at least away from hysterics. Naruto decided it would be best to play along with her nightmare to avoid any more violent outbreaks from Anuri.

"He's fine Anuri-chan. He's fine, he's waiting for you right now." Naruto cooed shrugging out of his jacket and wrapped Anuri up in it, pulling her arms through the sleeves like she was a doll. He kept telling her over and over that nii-chan was waiting for her to keep her docile. Naruto cradled her in his arms and felt Anuri cling to him, she was shaking so much Naruto though he would drop her. He stepped out into the rain and a kunie just barely missed his head.

"Nani!"

"Naruto! She was being tracked and they found her too!" Kiba shouted at him, hand in hand with a sound shinobi. "And I can smell Sasuke, I don't know where but its faint!"

Naruto grit his teeth and felt torn, fight Sasuke and get him to return to the village while passing Anuri off to Sakura and Kiba. Or giving up that chance to take care of Anuri. Kiba dispatched the shinobi he was fighting and ran over to Naruto, followed by Sakura.

"There are more following them. They must have been scouts. Naruto! Why are you wait-" Kiba stopped, Akamaru was growling at Anuri in Naruto's arms. "She smells like Sasuke."

Sakura shook her head and tried to get a look at Anuri, but the second the pink hared ninja touched Anuri the smaller kunoichi thrashed violently in Naruto's arms. Her cries for her nii- chan almost deafening. "I think she's in traumatic shock Naruto! But it's hard to tell when I can't get a good look at her. We need to head back as soon as possible!"

Anuri smelled like Sasuke? So then he wasn't really there after all. "Alright, lets head back. Maybe we can lose them on the way there." Naruto roared over the pounding sheets of rain.

Sasuke flitted from tree to tree silently.

Following Naruto to Konoha was easy, almost to easy. But they were still on guard. After all they had just been attacked by sound ninja. His crimson eyes followed the bright orange red hair of Anuri through the forest. He had hoped he was going to be able to at least talk to her before she returned to Konoha. Now that wasn't an option.

"Sasuke-kun, where are you?"

Sasuke scowled darkly, Naruto was following Sakura into an inn for the night. He should find their rooms, there was no time for Karin now.

"Following Anuri."

There was a long pause, "Is that wise?"

The sharingon was more then able to see the room numbers Naruto signed for, "She's already killed off all pursuers or wounded them to the point of in-mobility." Sasuke said, keeping to the shadows as he circled the building.

"You should wait for back up."

Sasuke could see Sakura examining Anuri now. Sakura sent Kiba out of the room because Akamaru smelled so bad. Anrui was fighting against Sakura again. Thrashing around, face flushed, eyes wild and unseeing. Sasuke could read the words on her lips now, 'Nii-chan, where's nii-chan?'. He could see Sakura talking to Naruto, looking panicked.

"I don't need back up." Sasuke growled, Naruto was moving in front of the window now. He couldn't see what was going on inside the room.

"Where are you, I can help you Sasuke-kun." Karin tried a different approach when Sasuke didn't answer, "You can get another fuck buddy Sas-"

Sasuke's rage skyrocketed, he could barely suppress his chakra signature while he was this angry. "She's no more a fuck buddy to me then you are Karin. Now shut up and leave me the hell alone."

"But Sasuke!"

Sasuke ripped the radio from his ear and crushed it in his palm. He was letting Karin get to him again, he couldn't lose sight of Anuri, not yet. Naruto moved away from the window again, they had managed to strip Anuri of her jounin vest, his own shirt, an overlarge t shirt and a tank top. All she was left in now was a fishnet and a pair of shorts that were way to big for her.

Sasuke moved closer to the window, resisting the urge to steal Anuri away from Naruto and Sakura right then. Now he could hear what was being said. "Naruto, why is she wearing Sasuke's shirt?"

Naruto grunted, "Does it matter? She might have been cold or something when she escaped." Sasuke could see what was going on in the room now.

Sakura was holding his shirt looking at it with something like longing, "How do you think she got it?"

"Nii-chan, Naruto, where's nii-chan?" Anuri's voice was much higher then normal as it cut off what Naruto was about to say next. Naruto turned to Anuri, ignoring Sakura now.

"Anuri-chan?"

Sakura blocked Sasuke's view of Anuri as she moved to check her vitals and responces. "Naruto, she's still in shock. Right now I'm surprised she recognizes you enough to call out for you." Anuri's fist shot out of nowhere and Naruto moved to catch it before Sakura was hurt.

"She used to call out to Sasuke." Naruto said, pulling Sakura out of Anuri's reach.

'She used to call out for me?' Sasuke thought curiously, edging still closer to the window. The thought made his insides feel lighter, something he was unused to.

Naruto continued talking as he sat next to Anuri on the bed, "I haven't seen one of her attacks be this bad in a long time. The fact that she can recognize me right now is a good one. You know what Sakura-chan? I think Anuri-chan loved Sasuke even if she didn't know it. Because for the longest time it was he that she called out to when theses attacks started to get really bad. When we had that year of bad thunderstorms? I used to go to her house to check on her and she was always screaming for Ibushi then after awhile she was asking for Sasuke, like he was still in the room. Asking if he knew anything about Ibushi."

She loved him?

"Who's Ibushi?"

"Her older brother, he went MIA almost fifteen years ago. I don't think she ever got over the loss. Sure she moved on, but I don't think she ever really recovered. The hurt stayed hidden inside her you know?" Sakura shook her head, she didn't know. But Naruto kept on talking, as though he had kept this to himself for much to long. "And the thunder and lightning is the trigger. It makes her remember, I mean she really goes back to when it happens. She described it as being forced to relive a memory that you try so hard to lock away. One that hurts so much you can't help but think you are right there as it happened again and again."

Sasuke closed his eyes, he knew what it felt like. To be forced to remember. Itachi had made him relive and watch the moment his older brother killed his clan over and over again. So many times. And he knew that it was one of the worst things that someone could ever do to you. But Sasuke didn't know what it was like to never know when you would be forced to relive those moments over again. He only relived them when Itachi wanted him to. Anuri... Anuri relived them whenever the weather commanded it. Whenever there was a thunderstorm. To never know when he was to be forced to see the worst thing of his life, to always be guessing. It was something Sasuke couldn't even begin to understand. That kind of fear and hurt wasn't something you thought of or brought up very often if at all.

"Hey Sakura, lets just give her some space for now. Maybe it'll do her some good." Naruto said, pushing Sakura gently towards the door.

Sasuke didn't move until he heard the soft snap of the door closing and then slipped into the room via the unlocked window. He stood over Anuri's pale and sweating form. "What are you seeing that has you so terrified Anuri?" Sasuke asked softly, staring at her as though captivated.

Then desire to know welling up within him so strong it was impossible to ignore Sasuke activated his sharringon and delved into Anuri's mind. Seeking the knowledge that she had hidden from him for so long.

Anuri sat at her kitchen table, her house looking much batter taken care of and lived in. It was raining heavily against the house, the booming sound of thunder the only noise besides that of Anuri writing in a small notebook. She glanced up out the window, as though hoping to see someone often.

"I shouldn't be afraid of storms anymore, that's what nii-chan says." Anuri was talking to herself, obviously trying to talk herself out of her fear. She stared back down at her notebook and sighed, "But there's nothing to do but try and learn to read and write like everyone else does in Konoha. Isn't it enough to be able to speak the language?"

Sasuke wanted to ask her what she was talking about, but it was her memory and he had no part of it. He was nothing but a phantom in this, unless he really wanted to interact with her. But the idea of talking to a six year old Anuri wasn't that appealing. She wouldn't know him for another two years or so.

Anuri screamed softly as the crack of thunder caught her off guard, jumping out of her seat and falling on the floor in shock. She laughed weakly at herself and stood up, not returning to the table but to the sofa where after pushing it to the side, Anuri pulled open a small trap door. She extracted a long sword, that was longer then she was tall. Smiling she attempted to extract the heavy blade from its sheath.

Sasuke smirked as Anuri pulled at the handle with no reward whats so ever, and growing frustrated Anuri scowled fiercely and returned the sword to its hiding place. But as she watched her frustration dissolved into fear as the thunderstorm outside grew in strength and ferocity.

Anuri crawled under the table as though it would shield her from the sounds of the storm, and as it grew louder she retreated to the small hall closet. Sasuke watched impassively as she started to shake near uncontrollably. Both Sasuke and Anuri jumped, much to Sasuke's dislike, and turned towards the front door as it banged open.

"Ibushi-nii-chan?" Anuri called, crawling out of the small closet.

Instead of seeing her brother's smiling face in the doorway, Anuri was met by the cold face of an Anbu mask. She screamed and retreated into the kitchen. The Anbu followed shouting at her that he meant no harm. But it did nothing to quell Anuri's fears.

Cornered in the kitchen Anuri finally took notice of what the Anbu was carrying. A black leather jacket, stained with blood and dirt. It was as soaked as the Anbu who carried it. She recognized it immediately.

"Where's Ibushi-nii-chan?"Anuri choked, still trying to avoid the Anbu was was coming closer and closer.

"Do you not know?"

Anuri's eyes were wide and terrified. They reflected the terror she felt inside, the worry for her brother, this man had his jacket. Something he never let out of his sight. Sasuke could see the fear of the worst in her eyes, she had an idea of what the Anbu was going to tell her. But she didn't want to know, she didn't want to hear it.

"Where's nii-chan!" Anuri screamed at him, voice raising an octave as she spoke.

The Anbu watched her for a long moment until she screamed the question at him again. Then cringing he tossed her the jacket, Anuri avoided it as though it was something poisonous. What the Anbu threw on top of it next had sent Anuri flying through the air at him. latching onto the ninja and beating him, demanding to know where her brother was.

Sasuke stared at the hiatate he knew only so well. It was damaged but not irreparable. Already worn slightly.

It was her headband, the one she wore so proudly on her arm. But now Sasuke knew it wasn't hers, it was her brothers.

The Anbu had returned to her, her brothers leather jacket and headband. Items that she was infamous for wearing, for always having on her. Items that only death could separate from her, or the near guarantee of death.

"Bakenokawa Ibushi went missing in action a week ago. Nothing was left of him but this when we tracked him as far as we could. There was no further clues to his disappearance, nor any reason to believe he turned traitor or was killed." The Anbu's voice was cold as he pried Anuri away from him. "We have lost his trail and there is nothing left we can do-" he was cut off by Anuri's screams of disbelief and panic.

Now Sauske stepped in, forcing his way into her memory. He could only imagine what Anuri must be feeling. The combination of fear, anger, hurt, denial and worst of all, the feeling of her world crashing down around her. Ibushi had been her anchor in life. And now that anchor was gone. What was she supposed to do now? She was too young to look for him now. And how was she supposed to take care of herself?

Anuri was curled into a corner, crying hysterically as Sasuke seized hold of the Anbu. Anuri's crying subsided as she stared at him with new shock and fear. Sasuke dragged the Anbu outside and wished dearly he could kill the man right now. But that would accomplish nothing, he wasn't real in anyplace but Anuri's nightmare. Instead he punched the ninja in the face hard enough to send him flying into the next house. Sasuke turned back to Anuri.

"Ibushi is still alive Anuri." Sasuke said softly, kneeling in front of her. He caught her watery eyed gaze and held it.

"How do you know that?"

Sasuke smirked, "Because I do. And this doesn't have to be a painful memory Anuri. At least not for now." His voice took on a hypnotic edge. "Forget about this for now, dream about your life with Ibushi, think of what it will be like to see him coming through that front door. Dream of the future, with new friends and family." His voice droned on, speaking of happier things. Nothing like the memory Anuri had been watching on a reel for near all of her life now.

Sasuke stepped out of her memory, shaking himself. Watching firsthand what Anuri had gone through, seeing the emotions in her eyes. It stirred an emotion Sasuke didn't dwell on for very long. It was foreign and he expected it would make him weak.

"Sasuke-kun."

Coal black eyes snapped to Anuri's face. No longer twisted by fear and panic, it was still pale but calmer. She was still in a heavy sleep, and she was calling for him. Sasuke moved without thinking about it, letting his body do what felt right, what felt natural.

Sasuke sat next to Anuri and took her hand in his, eyes never straying from his face. "Don't think of that day Anuri. Think of things that make you happy not sad." Anuri rolled to her side, trying to get closer to him through the realm of dreams. Sasuke smirked, she was a cuddler, he had learned that soon after she took up residency in his room.

He sat there as the minutes ticked by endlessly, he knew if Karin caught up with him and found him like this. He would have a lot of questions to answer because there was no way Orochimaru wouldn't find out afterwards. Sasuke started to pick through his emotions. He was hurt when Anuri had left so suddenly, but he was glad she was escaping Orochimaru. Sasuke frowned, what were his feelings for Anuri? She had the power to bring out the best in him, the parts he had thought he had hidden away or lost.

What did Anuri feel for him though? Did she, as Naruto said, love him or had she loved him. Where those feelings the same or had they changed? Sasuke hoped they weren't the same deluded ideas of love Sakura had. But then again Anuri and Sakura were two completely different people. And it wasn't fair to compare the two. So what did that mean?

"Come on Naruto, we shouldn't leave Anuri alone for too long. If she starts to regress the trama could get worse."

Sasuke stood up quickly, it was Sakura's voice. She and Naruto were coming back. Silently Sasuke let go of Anuri's hand and slipped out of the window. Sasuke paused as Naruto and Sakura came into the room. He perched outside of the window like he had, before they had left. Sasuke was leaving with more questions then answers, but he was satisfied for now.

He turned to abandon the building behind him before Naruto and Sakura figured out he had been there. But before he did, Sasuke turned his head to see Anuri before he melted into the darkness.

"Goodbye Anuri."

* * *

**Hi people, this was a test of another program on my computer, Notepad I think. A real pain in the but if you ask me and I don't think I'm going to be using it again. No spell check and grammar check at all so that sucks. Fanfiction won't upload it easilly but it converted from Word so I had to have a go. That and when I finally found a way to get it on Fanfiction the reformating and spelling and all the finalizing stuff took way to long. Anyway I' back to square one when it comes to solving my computer problems. So enjoy this for now. ^0^ oh yeah thank you Air Conditioner and freedomwings26 for reviewing!**


	7. Chapter 6: Students? No Way!

Chapter 6: Students? No Way!

'My nightmare changed.'

Anuri's first thought when she awoke disturbed her. How can your worst nightmare change, in the middle of it? Sasuke had appeared in her nightmare, and then the dream had changed. No more thunder and lighting, or Anbu. Nothing that could frighten a small six year old girl. But nightmares don't change the abruptly, do they? Something, Anuri felt, was seriously off. How did Sasuke get into her nightmare? Her eyes stayed closed and she kept her breathing deep and even, she didn't want anyone to know she was awake enough to try and think out a problem yet.

She tried to think as far back, as she could remember, as much as she could. Had Sasuke found her and brought her back to Orochimaru? Or was she still huddled under the tree? Anuri started to go back through her memories. She had hidden herself under a tree. Because of the thunderstorm. Then, Anuri knew she would have fallen into her panicky state but she needed to remember what had happened. Naruto told her she should work on trying to remember what happened. Naruto! He had found her. How Anuri didn't know but she remembered Naruto now. He had taken her away from the tree, and Sakura had been there too. They took her to an inn of some kind, she hadn't been fit for travel and Sakura wanted to get a look at her. Then she remembered drifting off, reliving her nightmare to its fullest degree. Then after the one where Sasuke showed up. Then, then, then what? What happened after that?

"_Goodbye Anuri."_

He was there. Sasuke had actually been by her side in her sleep. And he had said goodbye, for once. But how did he get by without Naruto and Sakura seeing him? Maybe they had left the room or something and he snuck in. That made sense.

"Naruto, she waking up!"

Anuri frowned slightly, it was Sakura's voice. She must have noticed her waking, or at least the start of it anyway. Deciding she couldn't feign sleep from them anymore Anuri played out the act of waking up. Groggily she sat up and blinked hard, body tense.

"Anuri-chan!" Anuri barely had time to register Naruto's voice before he had tackled her in a backbreaking hug.

Anuri winced as pain racked her body in waves, "Hey Naru-kun. Could you let go of me? You're hurting me." Naruto let go of her quickly and took a step back.

"Sorry Anuri-chan. But you've been sleeping for almost a week now." Naruto said, Anuri watched an Anbu flit out of sight from the corner of her eye. "And when we found you, you had a lot of injuries. More then I could count or that you've ever had before I think!" His grin made Anuri smile a little.

"Well, escaping from Orochimaru was kind of hard Naruto. That and I was already weakened and tired when I fled. There really wasn't a chance to tell the guys who attacked Orochimaru that he should come back at another time." Anuri said lightly, making Naruto chuckle and Sakura looked serious.

"Orochimaru was attacked?" Anuri nodded and opened her mouth to say more, but froze and stared at the door. Tsunade was coming down the hall, she could hear the distinctive click of heals of Tsunade's shoes coming down the hall. Anuri frowned and faced the door completely, ignoring the urge to lay back down and pretend to sleep as Tsunade drew closer.

"Anuri, good you're awake. I need to talk to you." Tsunade announced as she came into the room. Anuri nodded to Tsunade, showing she had heard and acknowledged her superior's presence.

"Lady Tsunade, don't you think that should wait until she's out of the hospital?" Sakura asked nervously, "She was in traumatic shock during the trip back."

"It wasn't traumatic shock." Anuri said bluntly.

Sakura rounded on her, "Then what do you think it was then!"

"A bad nightmare."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I think I know a little bit more then you when it comes to traumatic shock and nightmares." Anuri shrugged and rearranged her pillows so she sat propped up.

"Sakura, Naruto, I need you to leave the room while I talk to Anuri." Tsunade repeated moving to stand next to Anuri's bed. When the pair did not move she growled, "Now. Do not argue with me Sakura." Sakura closed her mouth and pulled Naruto out of the room before he could recover from the shock of Tsuande ordering them out of the room.

Once the pair was out of the room and an Anbu had closed the door, Tsunade turned on Anuri. "You got very careless this mission Anuri. How the hell did you let your self get captured, and how is it that you managed to escape alive."

"Like you said, I got careless while following Sasuke and Karin to their base." Anuri shrugged, she didn't want to have to deal with an interrogation right now. She could feel a head ace forming at her temples.

"Bull shit." Tsunade snarled, "You let your self get captured. I know you well enough to know that you would never let down your guard while on a mission."

Translation: She had talked to Kakashi about it. "I told you I got careless following Sasuke. It was lax and easygoing I dropped my guard, it was an accident. Then he caught me by surprise, I barely had time to send Gumbo back with the emergency message." Anuri frowned, Gumbo should have gotten to Tsunade in plenty of time. Meaning either the esteemed Hokage took her sweet time getting to her message, or she couldn't translate it properly.

Tsuande's hard gaze told Anuri she didn't believe everything she had said. "And how did you get away?"

"One of the Akatsuki attacked Orochimaru's base. I was lucky in being able to escape when I did."

"Since when did you start to address Sasuke by his first name? Since he left you've been calling him Uchiha." Tsuande asked, pulling up a chair.

Anuri mentally slapped herself, there was no way she was about to tell Tsunade that she had rekindled her friendship with Sasuke. Let alone invited him to stay at her house when ever he wanted to. "Does it matter how I address him?" Her head ace was blooming in full force, making it hard to think straight.

"Yes it bloody well does Bakenokawa! First you "let" yourself be captured by a traitor to Konoha and is taken to his base. Then Orochimaru miraculously lets you live long enough to be attacked but the Akatsuki. And you just happen to be in the best position to grab your things and make a getaway." Tsuade growled dangerously, "Not only that do you lead them to Konoha through an old back road."

"I didn't lead them!" Anger flared within Anuri, coupled with the head ace she blurted her protest before she thought about it.

"You had a trace under your skin Anuri. On your lower back to be precise, there is know what you could have had that attached without willing consenting to it. Or simply not knowing what Kabuto was doing when he lifted the back of your shirt up! Attaching that trace is not something you can do with the patient unconscious!" Anuri closed her eyes trying to real in the anger that was pulsing mindlessly through her veins. Why was she over reacting?

"We have reports of Akatsuki movement towards the borders of the Land of Fire." Tsuande told her, "Using the same old roads and trails that you do."

Anuri clenched her teeth, now she stating it bluntly. Tsuande thought she was a full-blown traitor to Konoha. She wasn't! The work she did for the Akatsuki was political and the occasional assassination of a powerful businessman that required her abilities to sneak around completely unseen. Or so that it couldn't be traced back to the Akatsuki. Never had she stolen or released anything concerning Konoha for them. Anuri could feel her chakra slipping ever so slightly out from under her control.

"I am not a traitor." She growled out, now clutching her head as the pain grew worse and fed the anger.

"How can I know that!" Tsunade hissed, sensing weakness in Anuri. The younger girl was cracking and Tsunade wanted every ounce of information she could give. "You're whole clan turned against Konoha, and they were killed for it. Your father fled and hasn't been heard of in years. Then your sisters leave you, they also betrayed the village after we allowed them to live. And to top it off your brother abandons you while on a mission for Konoha. No one's heard anything about him either. Every relative you ever had is a traitor to this village! How am I supposed to know that you won't decide to follow in their footsteps?"

The accusations against her pushed Anuri to the barest edge of her control. "Don't you dare judge me by my family! My brother is not a traitor, he's MIA or worse case KIA!" Anuri shouted, losing all control over her chakra. It exploded out of her body, shattering the glass window behind her as she struggled to her feet. "Ibushi loved the village! He never would have turned against it, or left me here if he did!"

Tsunade jumped to her feet realizing she had pushed to hard, "Sit down Anuri!" She was losing it all right, now her sanity was to be questioned.

A strangled cry of furry ripped from Anuri's throat as a warning when Tsunade reached for her. When Tsunade kept coming, a warning somewhere in Anuri's mind told her not to fight the Hokage. She turned and leapt out of the window instead, fleeing the hospital and heading for home.

"ANURI!"

Tsunade's cry fell on deaf ears as Anuri moved nimbly out of the way of an Anbu and kept going she still had enough control to keep from attacking Anbu as well. Anuri made it to the training grounds before an Anbu squad finally cut her off. Growling like a cornered animal Anuri bared her teeth in warning.

"Alright, try not to hurt her anymore then she already is."

"Like that's going to happen, she looks like a mindless animal."

Anuri's last thread of control snapped violently, and she lunged seeking blood from the ninja who called her an animal. She couldn't think of anything else her soul focus on the Anbu in her way. She wanted to get home, and she would fight to the death to get there.

Her chakra lashed out with a mind of its own, helping her fight the Anbu. Anuri became the mindless animal she was described as, but she had one thought floating through her mind. Home. Soon the Anbu retreated fearing worse injuries then the ones they had already obtained. Deciding to follow her, just to make sure that anyone she ran into wasn't killed, the Anbu jumped from tree to tree. Easily keeping pace with the limping girl below them.

Anuri shouldered open the gates to her compound, anger draining from her as the familiar sound of the wolves coming to greet her met her ears. Her chakra slowly dissipated as she limped forward, dragging her tired body through the gates and closing them behind her. Anuri fell over as one of the cubs tackled her to the ground, licking her face and yapping happily. Anuri couldn't help but let a small tired smile force its way onto her face.

"Hullo there." She greeted the cub softly, deciding the ground was as comfortable as anywhere else. Anuri let her drained body pass out as she embraced the black oblivion of sleep.

"Naruto! Sakura! Where the heck would Anuri go from here?"

Tsunade demanded hotly, finding the pair in the hallway waiting angrily to be allowed back into Anuri's room. Sakura shrugged where as Naruto stood up quickly.

"Where's Anuri?"

"She's gone! Why do you think I'm asking where she would go?" Tsunade snapped at the blond, then turned to the Anbu behind her, "Go to her house, see if she returns there."

Naruto's mind was spinning, Anuri had been shouting at Tsuande. She had broken the window and fled that meant Tsuande must have found a way to make Anuri lose her cool. Something Naruto hoped he never found out how to do. "What did you do to her!" His voice was demanding and held an authority he did not posses.

"Stay out of this Naruto." Tsunade growled back, refusing to back down to the boy. "That girl might be a traitor to Konoha."

"I don't believe it!" Naruto roared back, "If she was a traitor she would have turned her back on the village when Sasuke left! She probably would have gone with him in fact! You can't say that about Anuri, what proof do you have!"

"I have enough proof to slam her in prison Naruto!" Tsuande hollered, tired of people trying to contradict her. "There are things I know about her that you don't."

"I know a hell of a lot more about her then you do Granny! I am actually surprised she still is loyal to the village after the way you treat her! You use her as a tool, forgetting she's still human at the same time. To you Anuri is nothing but a play thing isn't she?" Sakura put a hand over Naruto's mouth and pulled him away from her master. She couldn't believe the way he was talking to the Hokage!

Before Tsunade could come up with a comeback, Kakashi followed by two very grumpy looking twin boys entered the hallway. Sakura let go of Naruto to gape at them. Twin sets of dull gray eyes peered around the hallway from under flyaway navy blue hair. Sakura noted in her head that both looked to be in their mid teens and despite that had strong jaw bones and carried themselves like many of the older shinobi. Ones who had see life and death so many times that it only numbed them to think about it. Broad shoulder's filled out leather jackets and lean bodies that made the inner Sakura drool.

Kakashi held up a hand in greeting, "Yo."

"Kakashi, I need you to find Anuri now." Tsuande barked, still angry with Naruto for not telling her what she wanted to know.

"She isn't in her room then?" Kakashi asked mildly, "To be honest that's not surprising. You should know by now Anuri hates hospitals. She's escaped before."

The boys behind Kakashi exchanged smirks, "We told you Kakashi."

"That she would be gone by the time we got here."

"Now this really was."

"A waste of time."

Kakashi shrugged carelessly, "So? Now we just go to her house and see if she's there. Otherwise we'll find her at the training grounds."

Tsunade shook her head, "Kakashi, she's sick."

The silver hared shinobi visibly stiffened as he stopped in mid reach for his book. His single black eye was fixed on Tsunade, looking for any hint of a lie. "No, she can't be. She's over the age limit by now."

"You know as well as I do that there isn't really an age limit." Tsunade scoffed, "She's having and episode and escaped form the hospital. Now she's loose in Konoha, with absolutely no control. She's going to end up hurting someone."

"What the hell are you talking about! Anuri's not sick!" Naruto shouted pushing himself away from Sakura, "Why are you reacting like she's dying Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi shook his head "You are over reacting now Naruto. Besides, Anuri's going to be in good hands soon."

Sakura noticed the sudden absence of the twins, "Kakashi-sensei, who where those two? And are they the ones going after Anuri?" Kakashi nodded and pulled out his orange book.

"You could say that. I guess I should get her swords and jacket now." Kakashi mused walking away from the trio.

"Hey, I don't want to wake her up. You do it."

"No, way. You do it."

Anuri grumbled a curse and rolled over, pulling a pillow over her head. Wait, pillow? Anuri shot up right, looking around the room wildly. She was in _her _room, at her house.

"Hey Anuri you're finally awake!" Anuri blinked slowly and focused on the speaker. Gray eyes met her mismatched ones, and she smiled recognizing them. Her long-term mission, aka students, had finally come back from visiting their mom. Something she had to force upon them. She fell back on the bed, the headache from sitting up so fast overwhelming her momentarily.

"Tetsu?*" She asked, unsure who was who while she was still groggy, "Where's Itsu*, and when did you get here?"

"Last night. And I'm Itsu, Testu's out looking for something edible to eat." Itsu said watching Anuri anxiously as she sat up, wincing as she did so. "I don't think you should be getting up so soon, I mean you had passed out just inside the gates."

Anuri grunted and forced her aching body out of bed, "Moving will be good for me. Now where's Gumbo?" As she spoke the tiger in question silently slipped into the room and licked her hand. Anuri smiled a little and limped out of the room slowly, Itsu close behind her. "There's nothing edible in this house Tetsu, I've been gone for a month now I think." Anuri called, hearing the missing twin bark curses in the kitchen along with the sounds of banging cabinets.

"Then we'll have to go and buy some food then." Tetsu grumbled darkly coming out of the kitchen, hands shoved deep within his pockets.

Anuri shook her head and ignored the pain in her own body as she started toward the old bookshelf in the corner of the room. "I think I am going to make you two cry today since you have been on such a long vacation." She mused out loud, examining the old texts as she spoke. The twins groaned loudly in protest, making Anuri smirk as she chose an older medical journal. "Come on, I'm sure there are some roofs that need repairing today. I think it's going to rain this weekend. I want to get a start before the rain comes rolling in."

The twins glanced at each other, not believing a word Anuri said. But they didn't dare try to tell her she was wrong over such a trivial subject as the weather. They knew better then to argue with her, even when she was injured.

"Come on. There's daylight burning."

"What about lunch?" Tetsu asked, eyes going wide realizing she had not mentioned food at all.

"Later, maybe." Anuri said, limping heavily out of the front door. The twins groaned again and followed her out of the house. Immediately they were put to work, repairing the roofs of the houses and even some of the siding that had gotten bad enough for holes to start to form. Anuri sat in the dirt, leaning against Gumbo who was acting as her pillow as she read her book. Half-paying attention to what she was reading and half on what the twins were doing.

"ANURI!" Anuri lifted her nose from her book to see team seven heading her way. She raised her hand in greeting, as the trio grew closer.

"Naru-kun, no need to yell. I can hear you fine." Anuri told him, closing her book with a snap before Sakura could get a look at the cover.

Naruto was staring at Tetsu and Itsu, who were now shouting at each other. Anuri followed his gaze to see the pair wrestling shirtless, precariously close to the edge of the roof. She sighed loudly and shook her head, content to ignore them for now. Sakura on the other hand, was not about to let the subject of the twins escape her again. "Anuri, who are they?"

Anuri shrugged, "My students."

"Your What!" Naruto bellowed making Anuri wince as her ears rang. "Sorry, but why didn't you tell us you had students!"

"Actually, they are more of a long term mission then anything else. Even though I feel like a babysitter sometimes." Anuri mumbled the last sentence under her breath before answering Naruto's questioning gaze. "I was assigned a mission to train them until they could take care of themselves in the shinobi world. I see that as a mission that never ends in a way, because I am always learning something new to teach them." Kakashi nodded, and Anuri finally noticed what he was holding. "Are those?"

Kakashi's eye tilted up in a way that told her he was smiling under his mask. "Here are your swords and jacket Anuri. I made sure nothing happened to them." Code for, Tusnade didn't get her hands on the swords for examination.

"Testu you blundering idiot, you made the hole in the roof even bigger then when we started out!" Itsu shouted, balanced on the very edge of the roof, grappling with Tetsu.

"My fault? You're the one who pulled up the wrong plank dumb ass!"

Anuri blinked slowly and focussed her attention on the twins, "Oy, if you want lunch go get it now. Otherwise you aren't going to get anything until tomorrow morning." Tetsu immediately stopped fighting his brother and took off towards the village, Itsu hot on his heals.

"How did those two get picked to be your student's Anuri? I don't remember seeing them around the village much before." Sakura asked, watching them go.

Anuri examined her swords as she spoke; "Well I guess it's kind of a longish story. Do you really want to hear it?" Naruto practically deafened Anuri with his shouts of "Of course we do!" and Sakura simply nodded as Kakashi kept to himself. "Well…"

"_Bakenokawa Anuri, get in here now."_ Tsunade ordered grumpily, rereading a letter from a friend to double-check that she had read it correctly the first time. Anuri silently slipped into the office, mismatched eyes bright with disgruntled agitation. "An old friend of mine has specifically requested you for a mission. Do you know anyone by the name of Tenshi* Enkotsu*?" Anuri shook her head, wondering how this Tenshi could know who she was. "Treat this as a A-rank mission, you are going to have to travel to her house to find out the details of the mission. She refused to enclose them to me."

"Hai."

Tsunade grunted and pulled out a vanilla folder with the location of Tenshi's home, "You leave immediately. And don't forget you are still a chunnin Anuri, if this a mission more suited for a jounnin don't hesitate to report the need for a new shinobi."

'Like I am really going to pass up on a A-rank mission that even you do not have the details on.' Anuri thought taking the folder. "I'll tell you how long the mission will take if I am allowed to divulge that information." Tsunade scowled as Anuri left the room. Anuri ran home to pack her bags, then after tripping over a wolf in her doorway Anuri set off on the path that would allow take her to the village gates.

"Hey Anuri! Are you going out on a mission?" Anuri turned to see Naruto running towards her, grinning and waving happily.

"Naruto-kun." Anuri greeted with a small smile. Naruto stopped next to her eyes bright, "I am going out, are you going too?" Anuri asked catching sight of the bag over Naruto's shoulder.

"Yeah, Team Kakashi is being sent out to kick ninja butt!" Naruto cheered dramatically. "Where are you going?"

"Demon country," Anuri lied smoothly, "I have to take care of some business for an old friend of Tsunade's." Anuri started towards the gate again, Naruto walking with her this time.

"Make sure you tell me what happens Anuri-chan." Naruto said, being the first to arrive at the gate in his team. Anuri smiled and kissed his cheek before disappearing into the forest.

'I wonder who this Tenshi person is, and what kind of mission she might have that she specifically asked for me to complete?' Anuri wondered mildly as the miles were eaten away as she ran through the shadows. It was going to be a two-day journey to the Land of Waves unless she ran through the night. _'At least this gives me the opportunity to get the scroll Pein wants from the feudal lord in the area. Don't have to sneak out of the village that way.'_

The trip there was uneventful, unable to sleep Anuri continued to the Land of Waves and sneaked across the border with little difficulty by midnight. Anuri tucked herself away in a tree not far from the feudal lord's house and watched the security closely until sleep finally overcame her.

"Sleeping on the job I see." Anuri didn't flinch or even open her eyes as Zetsu's voice woke her half awake mind.

"Not quite. What are you hear for?" Anuri asked, cracking one eye open to look at the sky. The black sky was giving way to a lighter blue and the barest hint of the sun was starting to appear on the horizon. "It's the crack of dawn."

"Do you have the scroll yet?"

"Do you need it right now?" Zetsu gave her a look that read irritation, and Anuri opened both eyes to peer at the feudal lord's home again. "Fine, wait here for a few moments." Anuri melted into the shadow behind her and landed at the bottom of the tree she had been resting in.

She closed the distance between her and the walls of the house smoothly, easily avoiding the security guards positioned at the key points around the building. Anuri blinked finding an unlocked window and shook her head as she climbed into the house. Keeping to the shadows Anuri found herself in the feudal lord office.

'This is too easy.' Anuri thought, edging over to the bookcase full of scrolls.

"Why would there be an intruder in my office at this early in the morning?" Anuri blinked hearing the voice just outside of the door.

"I'm sorry my lord, but the silent alarm on the window went off. You might have left it open again and a bird got in. But it's important we check anyway." Anuri shrugged to herself and went ahead and took the scroll she needed before the sound of keys in the door announced the feudal lord's arrival. Anuri slipped out of the window just as the door opened.

"See look, no one's inside, now can I go back to bed now?"

Anuri left the property quickly and found Zetsu waiting for her where she had left him, "Here you go." She tossed him the scroll haphazardly.

"You're getting careless, you set off an alarm."

Anuri shrugged, "I didn't get caught, did I?" Zetsu grunted and disappeared through the tree making Anuri look at the spot for a moment after he disappeared, "And people think my disappearing into shadows is weird."

Anuri left the house behind as she started toward her target's house at an easier pace. She was already going to be arriving sooner then they expected so why rush? Anuri found the small house tucked away on a mountain ridge over looking a lake by noon and paused to stare at the view.

"Are you Bakenokawa Anuri?"

Anuri blinked, the voice was coming from right behind her. Why hadn't she sensed the person's approach? "Hai," She turned around to see a woman with pale green hair and sharp blue eyes watching her closely. "Tenshi Enkotsu I presume?"

Tenshi nodded, "Yes."

"What's the mission you want me to do?" Anuri asked, wanting to get out of the area before the feudal lord heard of a foreign ninja in the area and came looking for her.

"Please come in." Tenshi said, leading Anuri into the small home and into the kitchen. Anuri waited patently as Tenshi busied herself making tea. Anuri caught sight of two boys in the back yard sparring with each other. "Here you are." Tenshi said, handing Anuri her tea, motioning for her to have a seat at the table.

"Why did you request for me to take this mission?" Anuri asked, still not knowing what the mission was. She fingered the rim of her glass as her gaze moved from the boys to Tenshi.

"Because you are the last Bakenokawa in the Leaf Village who knows anything about your clan." Tenshi said simply. "I want you to train those boys you see out there, to become their sensei."

"Why me?" Anuri didn't understand what did being a Bakenokawa have anything to do with it?

Tenshi smiled, "Their parents were friends of mine and had been in the Land of Clouds at the time of the massacre fourteen years ago. They were Bakenokawa. The hid for two years before word made it to Danzou, in charge of Root. At the time their mother was pregnant with the twins." Tenshi smiled crookedly, "They came to me for help because there was complications with the mother's ability to give birth." Anuri blinked, gaze shifting back to the boys sparring in the back yard. "The birth was successful obviously, and I took the infants for the day to give the parents time to recuperate and have a little time to themselves. But the one day they had their break Root shinobi caught up with them. They were killed without the chance to defend themselves. And I was left with the children.

"They want nothing more then to become shinobi and discover their real heritage. They know I'm not their real mother, but it doesn't matter to us here. But I can't let them go off to the academy and have a sensei assigned to them. The sensei would have no idea what to teach them. But you would, and that's what I want you to do. Well that and look after them while they are with you. They are Bakenokawa, and they are starting to tap into the ability to pull chakra into a physical form and attack each other with it. But they have no control over it. After one of them was seriously injured I knew it was time to start looking into finding a real teacher for them." Tenshi explained slowly, watching Anuri's expression turn from curiosity, to astonishment, to mild disbelief, and then finally to acceptance.

"What are their names?" Anuri asked finally.

"The one currently in the air is Tetsu, the other Itsu. Tetsu is more of the leader of the two, but Itsu is calmer and thinks things through more carefully." Tenshi said, "Would you like to meet them?"

Anuri nodded and Tenshi smiled, opening the back door and leading Anuri out onto the yard, "Tetsu, Itsu, stop sparring for a moment. I want you to meet someone." The twins stopped and obediently turned to face Tenshi breathing hard. "This is Anuri, she's going to be your sensei from now on."

"Who her?" Tetsu asked confused, "She doesn't look that much older then us. Why is she going to teach us?"

"How old are you?" Itsu asked curiously.

"Seventeen, you?" Anuri replied simply.

"Twelve, and I don't think you can teach us anything. You are too young to have anything worth teaching anyway." Tetsu snorted crossing his arms.

Anuri shrugged, "Okay fine. I'll leave, after you two spar with me." The twins looked at each other and exchanged smug looks before turning back to Anuri, "And come at me with the intent to kill, or you won't win."

As soon as Tenshi was clear of the sparring field, the twins sprung at Anuri with surprising speed. Anuri caught Tenshi's fist with her left hand and his kick with her right. Itsu followed in right behind his brother and aimed a kick for her middle. Anuri brought her knee up to block the attack and then kicked him out of her way as she pushed Tetsu away from her.

"You can use any weapon you want." Anuri said, conscious of the looks they were giving the swords on her back. "Don't worry, I won't use these swords against you. You two aren't worthy opponents yet."

Tetsu's face flushed with anger, "Oh yeah!" Anuri nodded silently and watched him charge at her furiously, he had a sense of pride. "Eat this!" Tetsu tired to punch her in the stomach again. This time Anuri swatted him away from her as though he was no more then an annoying fly.

"I thought I told you to get serious." Anuri said standing at ease facing Tetsu, but aware of Itsu slowly and cautiously circling around behind her. "I want to see you use your chakra to its fullest extent."

Itsu blinked surprised and looked to Tenshi for an answer. She nodded at him and Itsu blinked twice at Tetsu. Testu nodded and pulled out two kunai. "Alright_ sensei _what ever you say. Just don't be mad if you happen to get hurt real bad okay?"

Anuri shrugged and yawned, wishing she had waited a couple more hours to get here, this mornings early mission and the journey was making her drowsy. "Is that so?" Itsu charged her from behind, chakra molded over his own kunai making them sharper then a freshly edged sword. Anuri blinked, a small smile tugging at her lips, they were able to mold their chakra better then she could at that age. The instant Anuri had turned away from Tetsu, he rushed forward as well, mimicking his brother.

Anuri moved to block Itsu, her eyes widening as 'Itsu' turned out to be a substitution. "What was that about getting serious?" Itsu asked, one blade digging into her belly the other at her neck. Tetsu behind her had a kunai in the small of her back and one at the base of her neck. "I think we win this round." Anuri chuckled and smoke engulfed her for a moment, leaving a log in her place. "Substitution!"

"To slow." Anuri said, clones holding kunai to both of the boy's necks. "Your speed is impressive for your age, but your tactics are the level of a four year old."

"What are you talking about? I am just getting serious!" Tetsu growled, chakra massing around his body. The crimson and black chakra that matched her own sprang to life around him, crackling violently as it destroyed Anuri's clone. "Come on Itsu!" Itsu shrugged and his own chakra flooded out, also destroying the clone behind him.

"Now come at me with everything you have." Anuri smirked, these two really where Bakenokawa, there was no mistake about it now. They charged her, _'They are faster then before.' _Anuri thought, swiftly dodging Itsu's charge and ducking to avoid Tetsu. _'I might actually have to pay attention for this, or I can end this quickly and start their training faster... I really want some sleep.'_

"Pay attention!" Tetsu shouted pulling Anuri from her thoughts. She looked up to see Tetsu closing the distance between them, and Itsu was nearly on top of her now. Without thinking she summoned her own chakra to act as a shield, repelling the weaker chakra. The twins fell over backwards, landing painfully on their backs. "How?" Tetsu asked confused to see the same kind of chakra surrounding Anuri that he used.

"Did you think you were the only ones who can use their chakra like this?" Anuri asked crossing her arms, letting the chakra do as it pleased, curling about her feet and warming her from the bottom up. The twins gaped at her stunned, "You lose, I'm your teacher now, and your only confirmed living relative." Tenshi looked at Anuri confused, Anuri shrugged and explained, "My own siblings were sparred but have each in turn disappeared. I have reason to believe that they are still alive but have proof."

"How are we related!" Tetsu demanded getting to his feet and moving to stand next to his brother.

"You're obviously from the Bakenokawa clan. The clan was rather inbred so we're related somehow." Anuri shrugged, "Either way you have obviously grasped the basic ideas of your powers. But have not come close to realizing their full potential. I doubt you even know our native tongue, another thing I need to teach you it seams."

"So you'll take them as your students?" Tenshi asked, smiling at Anuri and the twins.

Anuri nodded, "I'm not about to let them wander about the Mist without knowing how to control their own powers." Anuri ran a hand through her hair looking frustrated as she stared at the sky. "You didn't tell Tsunade about the mission because of who they are did you?" Tenshi nodded and the twins frowned, watching Anuri and Tenshi waiting for some form of explanation. "I understand, I'm going to need to take them back to my home though. Everything that will help them is there, and I don't even know if I can move it around. They'll have to stay with me until their training is completed."

"That's fine, I just want them to be the best they can be. They are special to me." Anuri nodded, feeling her heart pang a little wishing she had gotten the chance to know if her own mother had been this caring.

"Wait what!"

Anuri grunted, patience worn thin, "You're coming with me, to Kahona. I'm going to be teaching you from now on so be ready to die. I'm not about to go easy on you."

* * *

Tetsu, Itsu – be lost

Tenshi – angel

Enkotsu - harmony

* * *

**Hey guys, I guess I've been gone for a long time huh? Well I found a program that will work for me you so now all that's holding me back is the lack of will to write, I don't know how to describe it but it's worse then writers block. I can't seam to even get myself to type up what comes into my head. But I'm forcing myself to now so maybe it will get easier as it comes. I dunno. **


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